Chosen Fate
by lilfriend400
Summary: As Negi graduates from his magic school, he finds out that he has to start his training in becoming a Magister Magi. But this training involves familiarizing himself with a chosen partner while being a teacher at the same time.
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima. If I did, I would've done this fiction as an arc from the start.

If this is the first time you're reading my fictions, then please read this legend first to know my ways of typing this fiction out:

"text" = Quote said in present time from a certain character

_"text"_ = Quote said in past time from Negi's thoughts

_text _= Negi's thoughts said in current time. This could also be used with normal text to emphasize.

'text' = Quotes said by other people

**_-FB-_**

_text _= Flashback from Negi's memory

_text_

**_-FB-End- _**= Flashback's end

**_-D-_**

_text _= Dream that Negi is currently having

text

**_-D-End- _**= Dream's end

**_text_ **= Negi's inner self when he's thinking in current time

**_(-FB- or -D-)_**

**_text _**= Negi's thoughts when in flashback or dream

* * *

= Scene is switched to a later time

I graduated from the magic school not that long ago. But when I found myself in this type of training, it raised many thoughts, especially from my sister and Anya.

"Negi, this training involves you to be getting used to a Magister Magi's path, which is the reason why you'll be assigned a partner. Although you are very young, I believe that your determination in becoming a Magister Magi would be the dominating side. Note that you will also have to teach at her school as another separate training." The principal finished his summary.

"Yes, principal."

Now that the principal is done with his brief, all I have to do is wait for that 'partner'.

My hands clenched my pants, as sweat formed under my palms.

_Dad, what should I do? _I bit my bottom lip in nervousness.

I then heard footsteps that approached my destination.

_I never have relationships that involve this…_

The doorknob rotated from its position.

_Dad…_

"Ah, sorry for making you wait." Takamichi was the first to speak.

"It's okay, not like-"

I was silenced when a girl entered right after him.

She had black hair that was tied up in a side ponytail along with bangs that ended halfway. Her eyes were like black orbs, and she held a content expression.

She blinked when she noticed my stare and quickly adjusted her view to the wall.

I could've sworn I saw a little shade of pink on her face.

"Ahem." Takamichi killed the silence. "This is your partner: Sakurazaki Setsuna." He reached out his hand in the direction of Setsuna's figure as an introduction. "Hope you'll be nice to her." Then he winked at me as a signal for my introduction.

"A-Ah," I finally caught that sign. "I'm Negi Springfield. It's nice to meet you, Sakurazaki."

"He is a mage that just graduated from his magic school." Takamichi added. "And he's also an English gentleman."

Setsuna's stare was still at the wall.

He then nudged Setsuna with his hand. "Hey, what happen to your manners? Speak to him like he's your Ojou-sama." She finally caught the signal and nodded to him.

Then she looked straight at me with another content expression.

"I'm Sakurazaki Setsuna. Nice to meet you." She bowed in respect.

"Ho ho," The principal came into our conversation. "I wonder if you can handle this training. Just keep in mind that if your magic is revealed to students other than your partner, you will become an ermine and be rid of your magic."

With that, I felt a cold chill down my spine when the picture of an ermine with red hair came into my mind.

Then I felt courage when the image turned into my dad.

"Don't worry; I will try my absolute best to be a successful teacher and partner." I brought my palms together and leaned in as a bow.

"Ho ho. Just as I expected from his son." He stroked his beard in acknowledgement.

Then he looked at Takamichi. "I'm sure Takamichi will guide you the rest of the way. Until then, I am looking forward to your progress."

I bowed again. "Thank you, principal. I won't fail you."

After another 'ho ho' of his, we went out of his office and followed Takamichi to who-knows-where, since I have no clue of what my surroundings are.

While we were going to our destination, a thought popped in my mind.

I turned to Setsuna, who was right beside me. "Hey, who is this 'ojou-sama' Takamichi talked about?"

"She is a precious person that I have to protect." She answered.

"Not anymore." Takamichi bumped into the conversation. "Remember what we talked about?" He directed to Setsuna.

"I know." She replied. "Let me rephrase it: She **used** to be a person that I have to protect."

"Then, what happened that made you have no need to protect her?" I started to get a bit curious.

"Ojou-sama was assigned a different bodyguard in the place of me…"

Her eyes narrowed a bit and I could glimpse a frown on her face. "And that bodyguard was 10 times more powerful than myself." A cold shiver ran down my spine again when I pictured a muscle head guy in front of a fragile-looking girl.

I then shook off the thought. "I see." I replied calmly.

We were quiet the rest of the way, but it didn't took long until we reached our room.

_Wait, __**our**__ room?! _

"Here we are, Negi." Takamichi spoke.

There was a dark brown door imprinted 'Negi Springfield'.

Takamichi then searched through his pockets to find two identical keys, and gave them to both of us.

"Inside there are enough supplies for you to last for a week. There will also be other teachers as your neighbors in this dorm, including me. So don't hesitate to ask us questions."

He then walked away from the door and past me. "Don't forget that school starts in 2 days."

Before I could say anything, he already left through another door.

It was then that I heard a click that I readjusted my attention to Setsuna. It seemed that she had successfully unlocked the door to our room.

The smell of 'new' odor reached my nose when we came in. This scent reminded me of a time when I smelled something similar through the pages of a new magic book.

_Man, it just smells somewhat nostalgic this way._

Through the hallway of the entrance, I saw another door imprinted 'Bathroom' and in the spacious part of the room, there was a mini kitchen and a bedroom. In the meantime, I dropped my luggage near the bathroom due to its weight. Setsuna did the same with hers.

The bedroom was consisted of one table, one couch, a wall clock that read 5:00 PM, two desks, two dressers, an equilateral-monitor-size TV, and one twin-size bed.

_W-Wait, just one bed?!_

I looked at Setsuna if she has any reactions to this situation.

Her face was very red as if she could faint at any given moment. And instead of the expression that she held during our walk, it was replaced with a surprised one.

"A-Are you okay?" I asked her.

She immediately jumped at my question.

"Of course, Negi." Her tone was a bit off from her usual one. "I'm just not used to this type of thing, that's all." She turned back to our bedroom and her blush deepened.

"I see." One of my thoughts made its way to my throat. "I guess sleeping with someone you don't know would make you feel awkward."

She nodded as a response.

I turned to her and smiled. "Then, let's start with this: What are your hobbies?"

She seemed surprised at my question at first, but her eyes went back into calm mode. "Sword fighting." Her hand tapped onto her sword, which was attached to her belt.

"And yours?" she questioned back.

"Studying." I answered.

Our conversation took a long while before we started to talk like childhood friends. There was one point where she laughed at one of my jokes, and that made me felt like I accomplished my role as her partner.

_Then again, what does a partner do anyways?_

"Hey, Setsuna." I sweat dropped at the thought. "What are we suppost to do?"

She raised an eyebrow to my question. "Well, we are humans… there's eating, talking-"

"I meant like…" I gulped for a second, as the word partner brought another sweat drop. "…As 'partners'?"

Her head was red again like a shirt that was stained with blood.

"Um, like what a couple would do?" she weakly answered.

_A couple? Let's see… a couple as a noun would be 'Two items of the same kind; a pair.' or 'Something that joins or connects two things together; a link.' A couple as a verb would either be 'To link together; connect' or 'To join as spouses in a marriage'. Wait, marriage? Marriage is 'The state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law'_

Then… that means…

My thoughts were trimmed off when Setsuna spoke.

"Are you okay, Negi?"

"Sorry; I was just thinking about something."

"I see."

I felt vibration from my stomach, as it uttered a sound that meant 'I'm hungry'.

I blushed in embarrassment as Setsuna giggled at my stomach's cry.

She then got up and went over to the kitchen.

"Ah, you don't have to. I learned some cooking skills from my sister, so I can make a decent meal." I persuaded.

"Well, it's your stomach that's crying; not mines." It seemed that my message didn't fully persuaded her.

Another thought came to mind. "Then, can I at least be of assistance?"

She blinked at me for a second.

"I guess." I smiled in victory.

Then I felt a cold chill on my hand. I quickly looked at it and there was a cucumber on it.

"You can help me cut these cucumbers then."

"Yes ma'am." I saluted. She smiled at my obedience.

After I took the knife from the chief's knife set, I carefully chopped the cucumber into circular slices.

It didn't take that long until we finally finished the meal that we created, and now everything looked like they were finely into place on the bedroom table.

I looked at the clock again.

It read 6:30 PM.

I then turned back to the table, where there were three dishes laid out along with two bowls of rice.

"Itadakimasu." We said in unison.

I grabbed my pair of chopsticks and started out with the fresh batch of cucumbers that I sliced up.

My taste buds cried in happiness, and my stomach has stopped its endless vibrations once our dinner was finished.

_Man, I could still taste the sauce Setsuna brought from her luggage. I wonder where she gets these stuffs._

My eyes quickly locked back onto the clock, as it read 7:30 PM.

"Do you want to shower first?" I turned to Setsuna. She was at the kitchen cleaning the plates.

"Don't you need to?" She asked me.

After the last plate, she turned off the faucet and dried her hands with a towel near the sink.

"No, I already did before I came here." _Oh man, if she finds out that I hate baths, I'll be crushed!_

"Oh really? I usually shower after my morning practice." She then went back to her luggage to unpack. "By the way, what's that weird scent? It's been there ever since you've helped me out in the kitchen."

_C-Crap… _"Ah, it's probably a skunk or something like that." I weakly replied.

"A skunk wouldn't make an odor like that."

She blinked before she etched out a small smile.

"Could it be…" _Bull's-eye! _"…That you've never taken a bath before?"

I sighed in defeat.

"Then, I guess I could teach you."

_W-Wait! No!!!_

Author's Notes (9/9/09): Sorry to those of you who were looking forward to the next chapter of 'Survivors', but after realizing that today is 9/9/09, there's no way I should pass up a good date without a new fiction to pass up (maybe another one at 10/10/10 ;D)! I just started read 'Mahou Sensei Negima' not that long ago and yes, this fiction's idea has popped up in my mind (though I'm not sure if it'll be base on manga or anime ..I think it's neither). I also applied more spacing in this to kill some rushing moments and fix up some parts where it may seem like it's repeated (which I will also apply to the future chapters). Not sure if these characters are OOC or not (I tend to make things OOC a lot due to my easily-drifting-to-someplace-else while typing this out), but please let me know in a review ASAP so I'll probably do something about it. Anyways, yes, I support NegixSetsuna along with 7 other pairings (which I'll be listing in my profile) and I will continue to support it until someone changes my brain ;D! Now R&R!

Edited (9/10/09): Alright, I finally killed more weird parts that'll clog up your brain systems and cleaned up some repeated points.


	2. The End of the First day

Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima. If I did, I would've add in Negima?! soundtracks in there.

Replies (to anomyous users):

Crystalfire5 – _"ughh... to lazy to log in... awesome fic tho. i already like it. please update. god it's so hard to find good a negi/setsuna fic..." _I will try my best to update it as soon as possible ;D

… – _"looks promising"_ Yes, it shall be promising ;]

gun 00 – _"are setsuna and negi fiances"_ You can say it like that ;3

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There were constant shivers crawling on my spine like ants stomping on the ground in a line. Those shuddering feelings now spread into my hands, making them tremble with fear of the tortures that have yet to come.

A scrub noise was sent to my ear, as my eyes quickly dart down to the source of the sound. On the carpet, whose color is a creamy yellow, there was a slightly darker shade of yellow right in front of my left foot. I then notice that the scrub was cause by my foot moving backwards, as there was no other solution or suggestion to what could've made the noise.

"It's better to face your fears first."

My eyes made its way back to Setsuna, as a breath of air that I normally breathe in was taken away; I was scared of the near future. Her left arm was bent just enough to place her hand on her hip. The other arm was hung loosely on the side.

Usually, I was force to bathe when my sister was here, but having to live on my own, doesn't that make me a 'free person'?

To do whatever I want?

I guess not.

Without even blinking, Setsuna hastily snatched my right arm and hauled me through the hallway with as much force as she has.

At least, that's what I think.

A thought popped up in my mind like a light bulb that received its fire.

One corner of my mouth stretched out in the direction opposite of its relaxation pose; I etched out a small smile.

My lips parted as I began an incantation. "Ma-"

I felt pain on my forehead and pressure that knock my head backwards before I could finish what I was saying; Setsuna did a forehead flick on me to cut off my incantation.

"It's futile. You can't chant when you're attacked."

My entire body went to zero degrees when she said the last sentence. It's like one of those times where you just want to talk to someone and they give you the cold shoulder.

Except in this situation, it's ten times worst.

Her grip on me tightens that she might even rip off my sleeve at any moment.

"W-Wait! Please!"

I felt helpless like a stray dog in the corner, away from the crowd of dogs with collars.

My body gave up on me, as Setsuna continued to drag me right to the bathroom door.

I could feel my heart pounding constantly in my chest that it might even burst into flames in five seconds.

Closing my eyes, I decided to choose the path of 'getting a bath'. It may not be such a good choice as it is against my desires, but the benefits of a clean body is better than any other possibility I could've chosen.

At least, that's what I think.

A cold sensation brushed their hand on my feet, following a rough hardness-like feeling.

Since this is the direct opposite of the carpet flooring, I knew that this meant 'I'm in the bathroom'.

Each step my feet took on each tile sent chills through my body, as if they were invading my systems. It's like one of those viruses that are responsible for giving you a cold, but this type of feeling is more like a horrible flu all over again.

It was then that our pats on the floors stopped.

My whole body trembled once again like an infinity-battery massage chair. Both my knees felt like glue while vibration seeped inside the crackles of each molecule of my body.

When I brushed my fingers together, I couldn't even feel their touches; it was completely numb from reality.

I tried clenching them together, and there was nothing; there was no feeling at all.

I wondered if my systems are working, because I think I'm dreaming in my sleep instead of getting a bath.

Yes, that must be it.

This is a dream.

A knob switch turned, crumbling my hopes and speeding up my heart beat.

The thumping noises were so loud I'm not even sure if Setsuna could hear it from her position.

It was then that splashes of water on its destination made me realized that I'm still stuck in reality.

Even though my eyes are closed, I could feel tears forming on the corner of my eyes. It's like going through a blind man's life; having to live with only senses other than sight.

The knob turned again, stopping the water flow.

Time felt slow at this point, like a timeline bus driven by a snail. Now that we're on the topic of time, I'd rather have a time machine right now.

To escape this Hell, of course.

Wetness made its long path on my cheeks, successfully rolling down to my chin.

_Noooooo!!!_

"Do you really hate water _that_ much?" My eyes opened to find Setsuna right in front of me.

Her pupils showed worry and concern as I then directed my view to the rest of her face.

Just like her eyes, the expression she held was the expression of worry.

My eyes then fixated onto the ground, as I slowly moved my head in an up-and-down motion like a bobble head being pushed.

With the two tear paths stuck on my face, it was cut off when I felt a skin-to-skin contact. I then realized that Setsuna was the one who's brushing the tears off.

My body felt still, like a pole on the ground glued by cement.

No words seemed to come out of my mouth, because my throat wouldn't help me do the job.

Because I didn't want her to stop.

_W-W-Wait! I didn't just say that! Just cross that out of your mind! Cross it!!! I'm just relating her to sister! Yes, that's it! She's just like my sister! Yes-_

My thought was interrupted when I felt a light tug on my shirt like someone using force 'pull' at level one. Then again, this isn't like the drag to the bathroom, because that was more like level three –cross that out, it's level four!

The tug proceeded to level two as I felt my shirt pulled out of its original position like a stripped out potato.

With that, my body temperature went a bit lower than when I had the shirt on, but it's not like the time where I had to suffer through the cold winter.

Then again, with my shirt off, I felt deadly exposed. The picture of bathing popped up in my mind, and it was then that I realized the situation with widened eyes.

"S-Setsuna I'm a boy and-"

"I know that. But seeing that you hate water that much, I just couldn't let you go unnoticed; you might not even take a proper bath that way." _Crap, she's just like my sister! _

With that, my body quivered ten times more than usual, to the point where I might subconsciously think that my surroundings equal to the temperature of Antartica.

I tried to shake off the image of the icy cold land before I heard a cloth-to-floor sound.

I turned my head towards the source, noticing that Setsuna was responsible for the sound.

But that's only the sound part of the situation.

My eyes quickly beamed against the snow-white skin she exposed, having all but her chest showing off due to bandages covering it.

I wanted to stop myself from the stare I had on her, but at the same time, I couldn't help but gaze at the beauty of her skin.

_Wow, that looks so –wait, taking off her clothes off?! That means-_

"E-Eh?! You're taking a bath with me?"

Instead of the chilling temperature I just had a moment ago, it was replaced with a hundred degrees of lava heat.

Most of the heat was concentrated on my cheeks.

"Why not? I do feel a bit sweaty from the afternoon." She tried reasoning. "Besides, we're partners, so this should be considered 'normal'."

The heat that lingered inside my body doubled, as a dizzy feeling nearly overwhelmed my systems.

Heck, I might even faint right now.

_But… I'm not ready for this…_

Before I could have any more second thoughts, I felt yet another tug on my pants, following the sound of a 'zip'.

Sweat embedded its scar on my forehead, as I dared my eyes to look down at the sight of Setsuna unzipping her way through my privacy point.

_Hawaa! Wait! Noo! _My throat was still deadly dry, so no voice is going to be heading out that way.

When she noticed my situation, her whole body took a step away while her view was adjusted to the ground.

"Sorry, I was only thinking about what's right for both of us when I didn't even think about it from your point of view. Please forgive me for my doing."

Her eyes then made their way to mines, and everything that took over my body was now killed with that one stare.

There was no more quivering, nor the temperature change; everything returned to its normal condition.

It just felt right.

She then blinked away from our eye-locking moment and fixated her eyes onto the tub with a depressed expression.

The sight nearly shot my heart even though she was merely apologizing for her actions.

But I knew that I could help by putting a supporting hand on her shoulder, all in the while feeling the soft skin she attained from birth and rubbing it in an up-and-down motion to calm her depression down.

"It's alright." I said in a quiet-yet-audible voice.

Her features spoke up a 'thank you' when our eyes met again.

We got out of our position before she turned around.

"Then, I shall not invade your privacy." I smiled in response while the sounds of clothes-on-ground dominated the silence.

When I finally slipped in the pool of water, the ice within me turned to water as my stiffed muscles relaxed. It's like one of those times where you had a hard day's amount of work, and you come home to lay your body on the couch.

_I guess baths aren't that bad…_

Setsuna then entered right behind me, while respecting my presence even though we count as a relationship rank of 'friends'.

"How does it feel, Negi?" She questioned.

"It's a bit relaxing, but…" My sight was now locked onto the cleaning materials on the side of the tub. "…those…" I pointed one of my fingers at the shampoo while showing her a these-are-so-scary expression.

_I could still remember the last time my sister tried to clean me with those soaps and-_

"Is that the main reason why you're so scared of baths?" _Bull's eye!_

I nodded with complete agreement.

"Well, you still have to undergo the cleaning process." My heart skipped for a second before shivers crept into my body once again.

Her hand then reached out and grasped the shampoo bottle.

_Nooooo!!_

Squirt sounds were heard and I felt a cold liquid-like substance on my head.

Tears welled up in my eyes while my teeth clenched. _This is… Hell…and demons… arg…_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Haaaahhhh…." I plopped myself onto the bed like a pancake on a pan. It was like going into a refrigerator from the volcano, especially when I only had my boxers on. Then again, the temperature change felt good, if only we don't have a chance in getting sick.

I heard a door opened and footsteps that approached me.

"Negi, you should put on your pajamas before you catch a cold." _Curse the o' getting-sick. _I sighed before I decided to get myself a jacket.

I then turned to Setsuna, who already had her blue cotton PJ on with a towel right on her neck, just under her hair.

_Wow, having her hair straightened looks much more better…_

My thought was interrupted when I felt a tingling feeling on my nose. It's like inhaling pepper or any substance that'll make you want to get it out of your system.

"Ah…Ah…."

_I need to-_

"Achoooo!!!" _–sneeze!_

When I opened my eyes, I found Setsuna with her shirt unbuttoned, which exposed her bandages around her chest. And of course, the rest of it was her pale skin.

I just couldn't help but fixate my eyes on it, while ignoring the fact that she held a katana in front of her.

It was until she spoke that my attention was turned away from her chest.

"I tried blocking it with my chi, but it wasn't enough for my shirt." She returned the katana to its shell with a click. For some odd reason, this reminded me of one of those samurai fighting scenes where it takes only one click of their katana to do one hundred sword techniques.

My thoughts were interrupted when she said her compliment.

"I'm impressed by your magic skills." Heat returned to my cheeks as I blushed in both embarrassment and _…I rather not say…_

"N-No-I-I'm sorry for sneezing!" I stuttered out and bow as quickly as possible. "I'll get dressed right away."

I bounced off to my luggage and hurriedly rummaged through the piles of clothing like a thief searching for gold in a jewelry store. Except that I'm not a theft; I'm a mage.

After a minute of pondering through the section of clothes, I finally found a set of PJs and clothed it on like the way 'Sims' do it: The sim would turn around and pop it on.

Well, not exactly though.

When I finally got into the bedroom, I saw Setsuna giggling at my haste of putting on my PJs. She also had her shirt buttoned up.

_No… after that experience…_

I bowed down on my knees and hung my head as low as possible, like a newbie to a grand master. "I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to do such a thing on purpose."

Before I could even say anything else, I felt a gentle touch on my head. I turned to the owner of the hand and sat up, finally noticing that Setsuna was rubbing my head. This felt like the time where I had to forgive her.

_E-Eh… but I feel like I don't deserve this…_

"You shouldn't bash yourself for a little thing like this." Her tone was calming, just like the time where I had to calm her down.

_But I seriously don't deserve this. It's much more worst than the other situation we had._

"No, I-"

I was silenced when I felt something really soft on my forehead. It was like an angel's touch, if angels exist, that is.

My eyes rolled up find Setsuna, while realizing that she was the one who kissed my forehead.

Heat began its rampage on my cheeks for like the fifth time today. _Man, and how many times does an average person blushes? Wait, I shouldn't go on that topic! It's the situation right now! Focus on that!_

"S-Setsuna…!" I wailed my hands in confusion like a lost child in a crowd. Then again, I am ten years old, so I am considered a child.

The soft sensation left as Setsuna returned to her original position.

"Ah, I'm sorry Negi. I didn't want to do the sword-in-the-face method to get your attention, so…"

I noticed that redness had enveloped her own face too.

_T-That's kind of cute… AH! NO! I shouldn't have these thoughts…_

"I forgive you; you don't need to apologize." She smiled, and it melted my systems when my eyes are locked onto her face. She noticed my stare onto hers and I attempted to apologize once again.

"Ah, I'm-"

"You're saying it again." We both sat still in our spots in silence before Setsuna giggled at my loss of words. I couldn't prevent my eyes from the sight of her features.

_It's almost …intoxicating…_

_**Then why are you looking?**_

_Crap, you're right. _I quickly took a glance at the clock to lower my blush's temperature.

It read 8:25 PM.

"Well, what shall we do tomorrow?" she changed the topic, knowing that she wouldn't want to go back on the previous topic. The image of the principal popped up in my mind, and I decided to put him in the conversation.

"The principal says that we have to visit him tomorrow morning. After that, I have no clue what's going on." I replied while readjusting my position due to the uncomfortable position I once had on.

"I see." She also readjusted her position, using the same reason I had.

"Then, do you want to train with me with that remaining time tomorrow?" Her expression brightened with those words. To me, it was like a must-not-say-no situation, so I just had to say the thing opposite of making her upset.

"As long as there's no plans by the principal, then I guess that's fine." I smiled at her, knowing that she also smiled along.

"Thank you." She bowed.

"You don't need to get formal…" I scratched my head in embarrassment. Then again, I'm not good at these types of things.

"No, I'm really grateful to have a chance in becoming stronger." A question popped up in my head.

"Why do you want to become stronger?" I asked her, with my expression filled with curiosity.

Silence filled the room before she raised her head with a serious expression, an expression that I would be scared of, of course.

"To make up my sins for not being able to protect ojou-sama." _Ojou-sama? Oh yeah, it's the person she was assigned to protect._

"How?" My curious mind got the best out of me like a crab and its prey.

Her eyes then cast down in sorrow, which made my heart felt like a broken piece of crap; it's the total opposite of what I want to do to her.

"When I was little, I was assigned to protect ojou-sama. But then…" _But then…? Something bad happen?_

I saw a tear drop that splashed against the carpet, knowing that the source was from her eyes. With that, the broken piece of crap inside my chest broke into tiny pieces of crap.

"...I failed one time." She took a breath before she continued.

_Failing? I thought people learn from failures…_

"And because of that, my family scold me and I received one of the most horrible punishment:" Her voice is now in the sad end. Man, I'd kill myself for doing this to her. It's like one of those dramas where it's all bipolar and such.

"...Marrying a person that's stronger than me, and let the child be the new heir of guardianship." More tears came out and acted like a waterfall on her face and onto the floor.

_**You idiot Negi! You're not suppost to make her cry!**_

_But I was curious!_

_**Silence! Now go and take care of her! You're her partner, aren't you?**_

_I… _

I quickly shook the thoughts out and quickly went to Setsuna's destination to comfort her, just like the situation in the bathroom. My hand ran down her back, feeling only the cotton of her shirt, but there's no time to be sad about not feeling her skin.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't ask stuff like that." I set my voice to quiet-yet-audible again.

A patch of warmness embraced my waist, as Setsuna coiled her arms around me, sobbing in the memories she sought to lock away.

_**'Be nice to girls, Negi'**_

_I am, sister…_

"Thank you, Negi."

_E-Eh?_ I blinked in confusion, as I know that my actions are worthless compared to the bad side of the situation.

"But I didn't do anything…" I replied back while carrying a confused expression.

"You did." I noticed that her cheeks are also flustered. "Physically, that is."

_Physically… huh? How does that get her to blush?_ I pondered, bringing in questions into my mind until Setsuna broke them off with a sentence.

"I'm okay now." She brushed off her own tears, as to show that she is no longer depressed.

Then she changed the subject to brighten up the gloomy mood.

"I'm a little tired. Do you want to sleep?" _Then again, I do need a break from the drama today…_

When the image of the twin-size bed popped up, my cheeks' temperature was soaring so high I could touch anything and it'll catch on fire.

"I-I'll sleep on the couch." I stuttered out, knowing that we are not ready to sleep together like couples.

"But, that's not as comfortable as the bed." She tried to reason.

_That's true… but…_

"I'll somehow manage…" I replied back with a strong expression. Going out of the position we were in, I quickly skipped over to my luggage to snatch up a pillow and a roll of blankets.

"See? I'm prepared." I etched out a smile, knowing that it was my victory.

"By the way, do you want to brush your teeth first?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the endless blushes during our 'brushing teeth' moment, we were finally ready to close up our day. I crept myself through the sheets and laid my body onto the cushion of the couch.

"Then I'll turn off the lights." I looked to the right to see Setsuna standing up and setting her destination to the light switch that's on the wall in the hallway.

"Good night, Setsuna."

"Good night."

There was a click, and the lights were off.

Blackness took over my view, as I shut down my systems like a book reaching its end. In the midst of it, an image of my sister appeared in my mind.

_Mmmm, sister…_

Smooch.

Author's Notes (9/16/09): This was basically the transition to a new day, where Setsuna and Negi have a good o' moment together (by the way, the end with the sister and smooch thing… you'll know it in ch 180). I also think that this seemed a bit rushed (even though I wasn't trying to make it rushy), but I would also appreciate reviews and suggestions regarding the future of this fiction (usually delays to chapters are due to not having enough ideas) and now R&R!

Edited (9/19/09): Wow, it felt like an eternity putting the details up while keeping up my grammar (even though I did a horrible job without my sister), but I made it happen! Woot woot! R&R please!

Edited (10/12/09): There were some parts where it needed italics and I also added in some bolding print to show the other side of Negi. So yep ;D Cya in ch 5~


	3. First Step

Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima or Negima?! If I did, I would've added in some OCs.

_**-D-**_

_"Rastel Maskil Magister!" _

_Her sword etched near my position, but just by luck of steering, I avoided it by an inch. Instead of me, it made a clang against the concrete floor._

"_Eleven wind spirits, become a chain that binds and capture my enemy." I used my wand and directed my position it to be farther than her, while avoiding her constant strikes. _

"_Magic archer. A warning wind arrow!" I lift myself off the wand and directed the shot at her._

_Fire!_

_**-D-End-**  
_

By the time my eyes were slowly opening, I realized that the vision before me was just a dream. It's like one of those times where you're in an epic daydream and the teacher just killed all those thoughts with a simple 'What's one plus one?' or some other question like that. Except in this situation, it's a night-dream?

I guess so.

The view that I had was blurry like a lost person in the sandy parts of Africa, where the sand storms are howling its way through the desert.

When my vision cleared out, I saw something that was solid blue. It was a bit darker than the swimming pool water, but not as dark as navy blue. Then again, it looked like chlorine, but at the same time it just doesn't. It's like being colorblind and being tested on a weird shape whale when it's really a shark.

I then noticed that my arms are already coiled around it, like a little boy hugging their teddy bear. Then again, I _am_ a little ten-year old boy.

When I took in the scent, it was like a 'berry blast', or the combination of all types of berries. _Actually, cut that off, it smells more like raspberries and blueberries than the other berries._

I felt myself closing in to the figure in front of me, before I start getting the feeling of 'what's my comfort level'.

As to answer the question, I felt utterly uncomfortable in my position, so I decided to readjust it. However, the readjustment came with a groan near me, following with a gentle rub on my body. That made goose-bumps pop up on every location of my body possible, along with a chilling temperature close to the point of being frozen.

Thoughts streamed into my head like a group of rivers joined into a lake. Most of these thoughts were questions like 'Where am I' or 'How did I get here' but those thoughts were killed when a voice came up.

"Uhn, what happened?" Though raspy, I knew that this voice belonged to Setsuna.

Then that means–

My body hastily jumped off the bed like a bunny hopping to its destination. The pain that slapped against my feet when they reached the ground did not hurt due to the magic that I applied on my body, which is a good thing.

As my eyes were now back onto her sleepy ones, she rubbed them before fully opening them. With analyzing skills, her eyes locked onto mines then onto the bed. And with that, I could already tell that she realized the situation that way.

Her reaction was merely displaying an expression consisted of embarrassment and confusion. There was also a little shade of pink embellishing her cheeks, and I could feel the same thing happening to mines right about now.

But in her response to the situation, I knew that this meant that I'd be the one in charge in explaining. _Figures…_

I was speechless at first, unable to develop any good words. Since it was still a bright and early morning, I knew that my brain wouldn't be functioned as well as usual.

It was then that the image of my sister appearing that I finally sum up an explanation.

_And that took me five seconds. New record!_

I took a little puff of air before releasing the words. It was like one of those stage fright scenes, except ten times worst.

As if unprepared, I took a stuttering start with my first sentence.

"U-Um, it-it's just that I usually sleep with my sister back in Wales. So that's why I tend to hug her when we're sleeping." I held up my hands and wave them as to say 'it's all a misunderstanding' to clear out any unwanted thoughts that are probably lingering in her mind.

She blinked for a second before drinking in what I just said, like a beginner sipping wine for the first time.

"I-I see. I understand." She faintly nodded before her eyes were set onto the clock, as to change the topic of 'unwanted thoughts'. I too did the same and looked at the maple wood clock that was in the opposite direction of the view of Setsuna and the bed.

It read 6:30 AM.

_No wonder why I feel so tired… shall we go back to sleep?_

"Do you want to get up now or?" I assumed that she knew what the rest of the sentence might be, since I felt too lazy to even finish it myself.

_Mornings are just not for me… sigh…_

"What's your decision?" She questioned. _If I could choose, it would be to sleep in that comfortable bed until death makes us apart._

"I would love to sleep at this time." In the midst of it, I wished I could've said 'sleep in your bed', but I knew that she wouldn't be comfortable with it. _Wait, didn't she said that she was comfortable with me in the bathroom yesterday? Or was that just a misinterpretation? Ugh, I really don't want to think right now. Let's just sleep…_

"Do you want to sleep on this bed?" She adjusted her position so that she was on the edge of the bed, as to say 'I'll get off if you want to sleep on it'.

"Well, it's nice and comfortable that anyone would love to sleep on it." _Crap, I didn't just say that._

Her figure then slid off of the bed, making a gentle thud on the carpet floor. The sound disappointed me, as I inwardly wanted to sleep with her. _It's like sister and me…_

"Then, I'll get up first." She was about to walk past me when I quickly took a hold of her arm like a cheetah and its prey. Except that I'm not a predator.

"You don't look like you had enough rest." I held a strong expression as I analyzed her face. _Wait, since when did my reflexes become this observant?_

She was surprised at my actions, but she did nothing to rebel against my grip. Though it looked like she hesitated for a moment before she spoke.

"Then do you want me to sleep on the couch?" _That's the total opposite of what I want you to say. Then again, I sort of want you to say it._

I shook my head then fixated my eyes on the window near the desk. It was on the wall on the left of the wall that has the bed next to it. With that, I realized how empty this place was, since we didn't get the time to pack our stuffs in here. _I guess we're both lazy. _

Through the window, there were some buildings close to each other along with the 'crack of dawn'. The dim light from the dawn had cast its faint brightness onto the entire campus, as if Zeus woke up with a candle on its head. _Not that I'm making fun of him, but it just seems that way for me._

"Then," I brushed the thoughts aside as I focused my attention on Setsuna and her own message. "Do you want to sleep…"

_Checkmate! _

"…with me?" The temperature meter within my system reached to a hundred degrees as the blood, though not shown on the outside as much as the inside, embellished my face with a heavy blush. If I were to see myself, I would've think of myself as a hot flaming fireball or a hot potato.

Not that I want to be one.

As I looked towards Setsuna, she also held a blush that's probably ten times the temperature power of mines. _So if my temperature is a hundred, then hers is a thousand? Wait, but isn't a thousand degrees impossible for a human being to even survive?_

The grip that I still held onto her arm was tightened, as I knew that I was too speechless to even use my voice for this situation. So instead, I used what God has given us: an outside, an inside, and a brain! _But isn't a brain part of 'inside'? Oh forget that I don't even know why I'm even asking myself these questions._

As a response to the touch I gave her, her other arm that was not occupied by mines placed a 'supporting hand' to the hand that I held her with. She gently squeezed it.

I raised my attention to her squeeze and directed my eyes onto hers, and I could tell that she already read my emotions like a book in a small town library of a small town.

As for my end, I was staring at her orbs, speechless to describe how beautiful they are; it might even rival my sister's pupils. It was like staring into Heaven, even though Heaven is suppost to be full of clouds. _Then again, that's the stereotype version of Heaven._

She nodded once again as if she understood and let her own hand back to her side. Likewise, I released the grip that I held on her and place them back into their relaxation poses.

When her footsteps were choosing the bed as its destination, I felt a pack of saliva that should either be released or kept in. I chose to 'keep it in' and swallowed it, making my throat a bit wetter.

At the same time, my heartbeat sped from seventy beats per minute to one hundred beats per minute. It pumped so much blood I could just touch my skin and blood would squirt out right about now. Then again, that would be considered blood loss, so I shouldn't describe it as that.

She took some corners of the blanket and placed them in their proper places, as to 'put them in the right corners'. Then she brushed off some wrinkles to make the bed look neat like a housemaid making the bed a 'neater place'.

Her eyes then went back to mines, as it seemed that I'm going to be the one to be sleeping on the 'inside' of the bed, since that side of the bed is already an inch from the wall.

My heartbeat rose to the very high tops as I made my way into the bed, gently placing myself on the mattress. It felt very warm from our body heat, but that only adds to the blush that manifested on my cheeks like lava fueling lava.

I placed my view onto Setsuna as she also did the same, except it was much more smoother and 'with ease' than my way of slipping into the blankets.

My eyes were still wide open and locked onto the ceiling, as I couldn't sleep due to the bitter heat that emitted from both the bed and my body. It was like one of those summer nights where you just can't sleep until twelve in the night. Then again, it was the end of summer, so I guess the season was just leaving its heated footprints as a souvenir.

_Not that I want winter to come and sweep me into the cold Antarctica land. That'll be Hell in ice age right there._

Without a single thought, I dragged my hand closer to the person next to me, which made a scrub sound that's audible enough for both of us to hear. I quickly drew my arm back like a dog owner calling its dog back home. _Crap, what's wrong with me?_

This type of feeling was extremely unknown to me, as I have never felt anything this… weird. But then again, I am a ten-year-old mage born with only a sister, so I guess that past experiences has deeply affected me in a sense that normal ten-year-old boys haven't experienced.

At least, that's what I think.

My stare to the ceiling then changed to the swordswoman.

What really surprised me is that she was also as wide-awake as I am.

"Can't sleep?" I questioned her. She faintly nodded, and cast her eyes down.

"I'm not really used to men sleeping with me. Normally, students would be sleeping with students with the same gender so…" _I guess that's her reasoning, but what's mines? Was it because of the heat?_

"What about you?" I jumped at her question. _Speak of the sentence and thou shall come…_

"U-Um, I think it's because of the heat." I nervously replied back. _Then again, the room temperature is about seventy degrees due to the end-of-summer heat, but why am I experiencing a hundred degrees?_

"I see. Shall I get off to not contribute to the heat?" She sat up, making the blankets rise up along with her.

I was speechless for a bit before I could respond. And when I did, I quickly sat up to release my response like a lightning bolt that struck the key on the kite.

"A-Ah, it's okay. I usually like it when my sister sleeps with me." Her eyes went to mines, and I could tell there was a hint of disappointment within them. _Did I say something wrong?_

"I-I see." The tone of her voice was a bit off, as her body eased back down in the covers, placing her head right on the pillow.

Curiosity sparked within me, calling out to ask her a question.

"What's wrong? You don't seem to look like yourself." I asked, giving into the curiosity. It's like one of those times where you just got to cheer up someone.

"It's nothing." She quickly replied like a radio transmission being sent from one source to another in less than a second. Her view then changed to the direction opposite of me, as if she doesn't want to bear to look at me.

I knew from those actions that it wasn't just 'nothing', so I decided to think about our past conversations.

_Hmmm, I remembered I said something about heat –no that has nothing to do with the situation. Um, what else? I also said something about my sister a bunch of times –wait, was it because of that?_

"Was it that I keep on comparing you and my sister?" Her body jumped a bit from my question, as if I hit a spot inside her. She rolled back her view to my eyes, and nodded.

"It's something that probably has to do with my teenage years, but I get this type of vibe where I don't feel comfortable 'being your sister'."

"I see," _We are partners huh… _"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to this type of stuff, so I usually replace things with my sister in order to feel comfortable with a certain type of situation." Her eyes seemed to calm down for a bit, as if she understood the situation I'm in.

"Then, what if you don't picture people as your sister?" My cheeks flustered at her question, as my knees shivered for a slight second. I then changed my view to the blankets as I spoke.

"Then, I get this weird feeling… and it's indescribable." She blinked at my sentence.

"…Love?" I shivered at that word, as if it's something that should be feared, especially since I'm only ten years old.

When she noticed my expression, her own face was colored with the same blush I had on. "I-I'm sorry. I…" Her hands clenched onto the blankets and her direction was placed at the wall. _For some odd reason, that looks awfully cute…ah crap!_

Right when I was about to say something, the sound of the door knocking crept in. This shook my entire body, which made my body go berserk for a while since it's still early in the morning, and normally no one knocks at this time. It's like the grudge appearing out of nowhere with a knife in its hand.

I didn't know what my actions were, but they looked like one of those 'I'm scared!' scenes. At one point, I actually tripped over something, and my mind went blank for the rest of the scene.

By the time I finally redeemed myself, I found myself in an awkward position: I was right on top of Setsuna, inches away from her face, along with both of my hands on her shoulders. _Ahh, wah…? _Heat barged into the territory of my features once again, thus making me want to faint. It's like dropping oneself into the lava, except ten times worst. I should cross that out and replace it with 'dropping oneself into the hottest place one could imagine'.

"Ah…" We both turned to the owner of the voice, as this was the person who knocked in the first place.

"T-T-Takamichi?!" I stuttered out while being embarrassed of his view of our… rather awkward situation.

"Oh, I was here to get some coffee since I ran out, but it looks like I'm interrupting something. Please don't mind me and do your thing, Negi." He scratched his head while his cheeks were painted with red. With that, my own face turned a deep shade of red like blood squirted out in the dark. _Wait no, that shouldn't be described as that…_

"T-This isn't w-what it looks like! You j-just scared me a-a-and-"

"Oh? You're not involved in a partner thing?" His expression was in surprised mode with his mouth shaped like an 'o'. "And here I thought you were going bold." He then etched out a smile, as if he's mocking someone. _Man, that stupid Takamichi! Making up jokes already!_

"Then, I shall get coffee." His footsteps approached the bedroom instead of the kitchen.

"You know, the kitchen is on the side of the hallway, not at the end of the hallway." I commented on his poor navigation skills. It's like getting a toddler to buy something for you when they have no clue what money is.

"I know. That's why I want to do something as a booster." _Booster?_

Instead of the directions I told him, his figure now approached my coordinates. Then again, I still haven't got out of my position with Setsuna.

_Crap!_

Before I could bolt out of our 'awkward position', I felt a small amount of pain on my back, as if I'm getting pushed. It was then that I realized what I'm about to experience. _Wait! Nooo!_

Chu.

My lips connected Setsuna's, and it felt surprisingly soft like petting a cloud. Except, it's petting with one's mouth.

I felt completely drained out of strength at our touch, making me close onto her body with mines. But it wasn't because it was the morning.

It was because it felt good, like being raised into Heaven. At the same time, I could feel both of our bodies becoming one, like two flavors of ice cream melting into one another.

"You know you can stop now." With that message from Takamichi, strength was restored and I quickly jerked my head up from the touch. I felt out of breath for a second while my lungs hastily inhaled as much air as I could in less time. The same goes for Setsuna as her eyes were halfway and her breathing was irregular. Of course, there was also a shade of red on her. _Maybe it's even darker than mines._

"W-What," I took another puff of air. "D-Did you d-do?" My sight was then set onto Takamichi, as I demanded him for information.

He held an innocent expression in response. "You should talk to this dude for that special side effect." A white animal rose up from his position and sat on his shoulder.

"Hehe, big bro, it's been a long while hasn't it?" The ermine spoke up, all in the while holding a mischievous expression on his face.

"C-Chamo?"

Author's Notes (9/28/09): Sorry for a short delay. School's piling up work on me and I've been dealing with a few self-projects of mines (one of them is a funny comic series) and I'm still sick like crap (I'm at the stage of coughing the nasty cough… and that doesn't sound good at all…) but I'll try my best to update as fast as I can. As for my 'Survivors' reviewers, I've been stuck in an idea-shortage situation (that's why it's taking me so long just to put up the next chapter) so any suggestions for that would go to the review side of 'Survivors'. Anyways, I've decided to bring back the ermine for the time being to build up the interruptions (unless if reviews convince me otherwise but until then I'm keeping this little ermine buddy ;D) and I've also decided to give Negi and Setsuna their first kiss to start moving their chess pieces together (hehe…). So yep, if there's any OOC that bothers you, let me know ASAP and I'll fix it ASAP ;D Now let's get some reviews (since they fuel up my confidence in making the chapters) and R&R!

Edited (9/29/09): I fixed up some technical problems within the story, in which you should thank Glennis for pointing it out ;D

Edited (10/25/09): Just coming in to add the -D- and -D-End- ;p Check Ch1 for the Legend ;D


	4. Second Step

Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima. If I did, I would've focused more on Setsuna than the others.

"Hehe, big bro! Been a long while since we last seen each other." Chamo spoke casually with a happy expression planted on his face, like a Venus flytrap satisfied with its meal.

"I see you've been taking care of your business." He stroked his chin when he saw my intimate position with Setsuna, since I'm still on top of her. This caused a rise in temperature in the section of my face, showing a bright red coloring around my cheeks. Just like the action I've done with the movement of my head, I plunged my body out of the bed like an acrobat making a jump from the platform. The landing made a loud bump as I inadvertently jumped too high.

"It-It's not like that! T-Takamichi was the one who pushed me, r-r-right Takamichi?" I nervously choked out in embarrassment to block out any weird thoughts. Obviously, this is one of those 'it's a total misunderstanding' situations, and I just have to find myself in one of these, like a man finding a penny when people treat the coins like nothing. Then again, I'm not the only one embarrassed and blushing at a hundred degrees, the type of temperature you'll find in the inlands during summer.

Rolling my eyes to my partner, I could tell that her own face was painted with red like an egg going into a bucket full of red egg dye for a long while. But when my eyes reached hers, my own cheeks were dipped into the dark red section, as my blush stretched throughout my body, outputting tiny steams from my body like a volcano close to eruption.

At least, that's what it felt like.

"Well, I was doing what I was told by the principal." Takamichi spoke out while keeping a smirk-like smile on his face, which looked rather creepy. _Wait a minute, why would the principal-_

"That doesn't explain why you're looking for coffee when you're doing your job." Setsuna's voice came out in a strong tone, while narrowing her eyes in suspicion. However, it doesn't look as scary with her blush on her face. _Actually, I find it very cute. A-Ah, I better stop complimenting in my mind. Wait, I can't stop what I'm thinking. Crap._

"Ah, that was suppost to be a joke to get myself inside." He explained, still keeping that smile on his face while scratching his head in a 'oh my, oh my' way as a way to show his idiocy. I felt a hint of disgust of his expression being directed to Setsuna like a monster looking at a beautiful angel in an intimidating way, smiling at each one of her features. With that, I wrinkled my face into a slight frown while crossing my arms on my chest, fists clenched.

"And it wasn't funny." I commented, glaring at Takamichi like an 'eye stalker' in one of those haunted house paintings. When his eyes saw my own blade-pointing ones, he knew that this was the time to back off. There was a hint of sweat implanted on his sideburn, but his expression was strongly kept.

"Hehehe, it's about time you start to feel jealous big bro." Chamo smiled at me in a mischievous-looking way, as if he knew the entire situation from the beginning. His hand was still scratching his chin in an old-man-being-wise way, probably thinking 'Ah, youth...' Then again, he is older than me in terms of experience.

"I-It's not like that!" I blurted out immediately while flushing my cheeks with redness, even though I knew I was wrong. "I-I'm only ten years old a-a-and…" My voice left my throat, as my brain was completely out of words for continuing my sentence. Though there are words that won't support my claim, but then again that won't even help me in the first place. It's like being drained out of thoughts, out of education, out of words that normal people use, as if I was starting from an empty bubble, the type of brain that babies have.

My eyes etched themselves onto Setsuna's, as her own expression was in complete surprise mode when she saw mines. I wondered what emotion I'm carrying right now, because I got no clue of what my facial feature is. Then again, no one has the ability to have a chance of getting a glimpse of his or her face without looking at something like the mirror, water, etc, but in this situation, I doubt that I could slide through with a 'Can I look at the mirror?'

Her eyes then drift away from mines and onto a wall, while the blush that was from the crack of morning was still on her features. From the expression she held, I guessed that she is in complete thought at this time, like a detective that's trying to figure out a complex situation, sorting out the clues and suspects in a professional way.

She then sat up, as if something clicked.

"What Negi is saying is when a ten year old experience emotions, they are somewhat unknown to it. However, stereotypes like 'feeling jealous' is highly unlikely because you have not considered the entire situation he is in." She spoke while still keeping a strong expression, erasing the red that was previously stuck on her face. As for mines, I just felt totally blank at the moment, trying to drink in the situation. _Come on, it's still the morning and I didn't even eat. Give me some slack._

"And what is the situation he is in?" Takamichi inquired while keeping the smile that he wore since the beginning of our conversation. _Oh gosh it's really annoying me now, but usually it doesn't… Hmmmm, weird…_

"You already know." She replied calmly before adding another sentence to her set of words, like taping a yellow piece of string to a green string. "And if you don't, you are a very stupid old man." I felt a smile etching itself onto my features by reflex.

In return, Takamichi smiled wider, which creep me out even more.

"And what if I am a stupid old-"

"Hey, hey, we don't got much time. The principal already told us to meet him afterwards." Chamo broke into the conversation, which waved a hand of relief on my body. I felt my own expression brightening while regaining my confidence. _I owe you this time. _

"Oh yeah, you're right." Takamichi replied, while the smile he once had was now a surprised 'o' shaped mouth. With a hundred eighty degree turn, he said his goodbye with a hand raised. "I'll see you later." His figure then retrieved to his destination.

When the door closed, my body slumped onto the ground as I released a puff of air, exhaling the living stress out of me. It felt like a break from a heated tournament, one that involved life and death situations.

"Ah, thank goodness." I sighed before I took a glimpse of the maple clock right on the wall that's facing me.

It read 7:00 AM. _And all that took thirty minutes?! It felt like hours!_

I then noticed how bright it was in the room, as if the sun finally broke through the shackles of the clouds. My eyes rolled over to the right, where the windows were. The rays of light that shine through the windows got caught on my face, and I quickly shade myself with my hand. _Then again, it is still around summer time huhn…_

I used the strength of my hands to push myself up, but that was until when I realized the person behind me was still in existence.

"Negi, shall we get up?" My heart accelerated its beats for a while before I blocked my weird thoughts with my sister. With confidence, I replied.

"Yes, we should." I stretched out the boundaries of my cheek lines, making a little smile when I turned around to face her. In response, she smiled back.

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After our usual daily routine, involving the bathroom and eating, we now had to change our clothes.

_And how should we do this? _A sweat drop slid down my sideburn while my heartbeat sped. It felt like my heart was trapped inside a blender, making constant vibrations against it along with my chest. At least that's how I viewed it.

"U-Um, shall I change in the bathroom?" I slightly stuttered out while facing Setsuna. Her own cheeks flushed a bit before responding.

"I-It's okay, I'll just look the opposite direction." _Hawawa…why do I feel so weird inside…I don't understand at all…!_

"O-Okay." I nervously replied while I turned around, going along with what Setsuna said.

I then grabbed the edge of my shirt with a firm grip. Pulling it off, I felt a bit colder due to my exposed chest. It's like arriving at a sunny location when it's around sixty degrees with heavy winds. _Stupid greenhouse gases not helping me out._

Just a meter away from my location, I also heard the sound of rustling. My heartbeat raised its beating meter through each little rustle I heard. _I wonder what Setsuna –Ah! Don't think, just act –wait! That's not what I mean!_

I quickly grabbed a white polo shirt and slipped it on. That made a louder sound than Setsuna's, as my plan to ignore her own rustling sounds succeeded on my first try. After a pull to make my shirt cover my upper body, I then moved onto my pants and dragged them down with ease. _Thank goodness for PJs. _Throwing the PJ pants aside, the cold temperature clung onto my legs before I hastily clothed on my jeans. Since they are not as spacious as my PJs, it took a while before I could finally put them on. After the buttoning and the zipping, I then slipped into my socks like putting the covers on my bed; they were on with ease.

"You ready?" I turned to Setsuna in reflex, before realizing that I made a deal with her not to look at each other while changing.

Both her clothes were shed out, revealing only bandages around chest and a triangular piece of clothing covering her lower. The rest was deadly exposed as it showed off its natural skin tone like a mattress stripped out of coverings. It looked so smooth I could have my hands around it mentally instead of physically.

But the thing that stood out the most was a set of white wings that stretched out from her back.

"N-Negi," She looked extremely surprised while blushing a dark shade of red. At the same time, her body froze completely still like a statue.

I quickly turned my body before anything else would appear in my mind. _Then again, those wings make her look like an angel –wait no! I did such a horrible thing!_

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to…" I couldn't finish my sentence, because guilt already took those words away. My throat felt entirely dry, and the loud thuds that I heard in my ears were from my chest. It was like going through a thousand cardio exercises, except ten times worst. Then again, I would've died from that situation, as it'll be considered a heart attack.

"It's okay." She replied back with a nervous-like tone while making rustles to cloth herself. _How could she be so okay with stuff like this? Could it be that she already accepted her fate as my partner? _I shuddered at the thought of her being my partner and doing stuff that a couple would do.

"No, it's not okay for me to stare at you like that. It's like a pervert p-peeking." I spoke back. It pained me just to say that, as if I had to complete a video game in story mode in order to say such a thing. At the same time, it also felt like a huge ton of bricks weighing me down, desperately trying to kill me.

"You're not a pervert." My heart stopped in its place once she said those words like a stopwatch on pause. Then again, that would've been considered a malfunctioning heart. And that would be deadly scary.

"Because Negi is my partner. He has all the right to look at me whenever he wants." I widened my eyes to the 'right' as my heart accelerated to the point where it could possibly be audible to her. "It just depends if he wants to look or not."

"S-Setsuna…" _So she did accept her fate as my partner. But, as for me… _I pondered on what words to say, like waiting for the Internet page to display its information. Except for my situation, I'm the one in charge of the Internet page.

Once I grasped the words I needed, I immediately sorted them out. "I-I…" I swallowed in order to keep my throat in shape, making a 'gulp' sound. "I a-am not ready for such a stage. T-That's why I want to start our relationship as friends…"

I wasn't sure if my words were the right ones to use, since they were roughly put out in my mind. It was like thinking and writing at the same time, except that it's done mentally.

"I-I see. Please excuse me for saying such a thing." I felt a bound of relief when I heard her words, like the warm water during showers, splashing its warmth onto your skin and taming your muscles with a soothing massage that were from the showerhead, its bullets of water being fired full speed.

"No, it's okay." I replied back with a gentle smile, which was the result from activating certain muscles. These muscles were easier to activate than when frowning because frowning uses more muscle power than smiling, which is why I'm glad that the world smile as a friendly greeting instead of frowning as a friendly greeting. _Yeech, I'll be creep out if that happens._

Even though my smile was in the opposite direction of Setsuna due to our situation, I felt her own smile directing at me. That brought up a warming sensation, even though we're not physically warming each other up like the heater and person, outputting its jet of streaming warm air to fight the cold chilling air.

"By the way, what are those wings you had?" Curiosity sparked within me again like fireworks exploding its contents, releasing the firepower.

"A-Ah, I was born with them. But I usually don't let them out until I wanted to." She stuttered out, as if she tried singing for the first time. Then again, almost everyone would be stuttering whenever they're doing stuff for the first time.

"I see." I understood some parts of her explanation, even though the curiosity inside me urged me to ask how she was born with them. _Then again, I really want to know how she got them._

"I'm done." Turning the thoughts off, I then spun around, as I knew that this meant that she was fully clothed. She had worn a white T-shirt, green camouflage shorts that were down to her knees, a bandaged sword's shell that's lingering in the back, and solid gray socks. Though it's not the best style in the world, I still appreciate her choice of clothes. "Shall we go, Negi?" I guessed talking about her wings isn't such a great idea, since she held a hint of 'I don't really want to talk about it'. So in return with respect, I went along with the flow and moved away from the previous topic.

"Yes." I replied back. "Let me get my staff first."

I reached my hand out and closed my eyes, blackening my view. Using my memories of my staff and its wooden texture that has been in the hands of my father, the one person that I've been seeking for, I tried placing those memories into my hand like a focus point. With that, force placed its light onto the hand that I've reached out.

I opened my eyes and saw the staff that I've pictured onto my hand, its weight sitting on it like a dog on the command 'sit'. I then placed it right behind me into a holster suitable for it. "Let's go."

Using the strength I received from the meal today, I took my steps forward to guide myself out of the room while following Setsuna.

Since I was the last one out, I turned around to lock the door in case if Takamichi start stealing coffee. I inwardly smirked at his terrible joke, making a smile on the outside.

_Hmmm, I wonder what the principal has in store for us._

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"Ho ho, so you came rather earlier than I've expected." His hand reached out to his long beard again, stroking it with pride as if it was a cherished puppy. Then again, that would've been very interesting for the principal to obtain a puppy and stroke it the same way he does with his beard.

"Of course." I bowed, showing respect to the elder like an apprentice to its master. "Exceeding expectations is my type of thing."

"Hmph," I shuddered at his grunt, afraid that I've done something wrong in the process. "That doesn't mean that you should exceed every expectation. These types of things will have their good and bad, just like the good and bad of being late." _Whoa, talk about being wise!_

"I'm humbled by your words. Please forgive me." I still kept my head low when I spoke, as if I need permission from a master to produce a single movement. Though the heart beating is not considered a movement that needs permission

"Ho, of course I forgive you." As if I was unbounded by chains, I raised my head and got into a standing position instead of bowing for centuries. And indeed, it was refreshingly better with my head up since blood has been flowing into it while I was bowing.

"Anyways, what is it that you've called us for?" Setsuna joined the conversation with a stern look at the principal, as to quicken the pace of the meeting. Then again, we are suppost to train afterwards, so it's best to make it nice and quick.

"Ho, it's best not to rush or else I'll forget something important." He replied casually, as if he's just taking his time communicating. "But now that you want to know, look to your left on the table."

Doing as he said, we both adjusted our eyes to the brown wooden table on the western direction. Right on top of it were two cards, though we had to walk over to get a better view of them.

They were both the same image of Setsuna with her katana in front of her along with angel-like wings outstretched from her back.

And it looked insanely gorgeous. _Wait! That isn't –Ah, I give up…_

"This is called a 'Pactio' card, a proof that you've performed a probationary contract with Setsuna. This means she could use a part of your magic to fight, and since she also has the power of chi, it literally doubles the strength of her weapon." He explained like an instructor's instructions to a beginner, putting it as general as possible. "She can summon her weapon by calling out 'adeat' when holding that card."

A question popped up in my mind, and I couldn't help but release it.

"Wait, by probationary contract, does that mean that it's only temporary?" I asked as politely as possible, not wanting to anger the principal.

"Yes, this is a part of your training as her partner. You will do the real contract once you are at a Magister's level." This brought continuous shivers across my spine, as the image of Setsuna's face up-close came into my mind, haunting me. Heat rose into my cheeks when I was reminded of the soft tingling sensation.

Because I knew I liked it.

Author's Notes (10/9/09): Sorry that I have to stop it there, but this is just to make it so that chapter 5 could have a better start that way xD hehe… Anyways, I decided to build some tension within Negi when Takamichi talked 'happily' with Setsuna and then transitioned it into yet another embarrassing situation where they changed. I also didn't want to get too much in depth with the meeting (it's basically explanation, etc) since it's a pain to rephrase everything that's been said in the series (yes, I am a lazy person too, but not as lazy as my sister :P). Ummm, what else? Oh yes, I had real life situations that kept this chapter from coming out like my dad's birthday, my grampz birthday, Halloween projects, moon cake festival… and other stuff I don't want to bore you out with. Now -yawns- I shall sleep. R&R!

Edited (10/10/09): Added in some more details, and trimmed up some weird parts. Let me know if you find anything that's on the list of 'Need to change this part. Now.' As for me, I shall go and knock myself out with a nice nap. Don't forget to review! ;D

Edited (10/11/09): I just found out that the line thingy doesn't really work when it's being transferred to the Document Manager. So instead, I took the -- lines from the previous chapter(s) and place it here instead ;D I also killed some other parts that are repeated and replace some words to freshen up the mind.


	5. Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've made another season –no, make it 10 seasons!

Replies (to anonymous reviews):

Tsukanda – "_Lol, I loved this chapter! Negi's inner turmoils are quite amusing xD You did very well with the characters, none of them are OOC! :D I am also enjoying the lengths of each chapter, very well planning! Not too short and not too long; you make me want to read more each time and I know I wont have to wait FOREVER for the next chapter. :] Really great, keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing how their relationship will develop :D"_ Thanks for the compliment ;D I really appreciate it. Usually I tend to go off-topic like whenever it comes to fictions (since I was extremely OOC with my last 2 fictions), but knowing that there was no OOC here really helps ;] I'm really getting better yay!

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**Sticky Note: Check Ch1 for legend of my fiction labels, especially the ones that might've confused you when reading this at 10/24/09~10/25/09.**

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"Hmph, and you call yourself the son of Nagi!" I struggled on the ground with my face on it along with bruises bleeding onto the floor, as if I was enduring a tortuous training camp.

_Actually, that is what I'm facing right now._

"Are you okay, Negi?" I heard Setsuna's voice on the right of me along with a gentle touch on my shoulder, feeling a surge of warmness with her presence. It was like entering the hot springs after a trip to the snowy mountains, its soothing temperature climbing through your systems.

I tried rebooting my voice system and forced out the sound waves from it.

"I-I," Struggling with my throbbing mind, I then chose a set of words to output, as if I was selecting a specific dish to eat in the menu. "I'm okay. Please don't worry about me."

I then placed my hand on the ground, its roughness scarred onto my palms, and I pushed myself up from the position I was once in, feeling the gravity onto me as resistance to my actions.

"You're not okay, and there's blood all over your chest." Setsuna spoke in a worried tone, in which it is a rarity for her to use that type of tone. Her eyes were fixated on my upper body, the area in which I felt the stabbing pain of Hell.

_**-FB-**_

_"You and Setsuna will also be assigned a trainer to strengthen your battling sides." The principal announced with a serious expression. The thought of having a trainer in the house cramped itself upon my problems, and I could feel it overwhelming me, trying to knock myself out. But with a headshake, I tried to brush it off as if it was another test to see how worthy I am in becoming a Magister Magi._

_"What does this trainer specialize in?" I heard a voice on the right of me, knowing that it belonged to Setsuna. She too held a serious expression, as if mirroring the principal's emotion like two similar faces separated with line symmetry._

_"Ho, this trainer is actually a dark mage, Evangeline." My heart skipped a beat as I pictured myself mastering the arts of darkness, its black scar on my body as a symbol. _

_**But then again, that'll be the total opposite of my dad. **_

"_She is also a vampire who mercilessly suck blood." I felt my heart shrinking as I heard his sentence, as if the word 'vampire' was eating away my courage. _

_**Then again, who wouldn't be scared of a vampire?**_

_**I guess the answer would be vampires.**_

_"And her partner is Chachamaru. She's a robot." The principal added, making me shudder at the thought of a dark mage and a robot wearing evil looks of death. "But as for today, I doubt that you'll be seeing her partner."_

_**-FB-End-**  
_

"Hmph, don't make yourself open boya!" Evangeline threw some bottles in our direction, which made an explosion when impacted on the ground. To avoid the horrible fate of getting hit with those bottles, Setsuna hurriedly carried me and ran to another location like a cheetah catching its prey. I felt my cheeks brightening into a red cherry as I gazed onto her face, the strong expression that gives you that protective barrier feeling.

Because it was very beautiful. _…Wait! I-I… sigh… I already gave up…_

_**-FB-**  
_

_"Adeat!" Several knives appeared in front of Setsuna as if they were soldiers brought up by a mage, which is an attrition to the MP section._

_"Hmph, so you're the boy he was talking about." The voice made my body jumped for a second before I turned around to see a blond girl. She was leaning against a tree, her hand close to her mouth. _

_I then noticed the reason why her hand was even there in the first place._

_Because she was licking her fingers._

_**W-Wait! Nooooooo!**_

_**-FB-End-  
**_

When the abrupt stop arrived, I felt like I just got through a car accident, where your entire body plunged itself into a direction while forced to be in the opposite of that direction.

I then direct my eyes to Setsuna, and she looked like she was in deep pain. One of her eyes was closed shut and her teeth clenched against each other, as if engaging in a fierce battle of friction. It was also like overcoming a stage of Hell, where its fire burn against your skin, blackening and eating away each part of your body like a vampire sucking blood. Actually, I should put that description as my student, Evageline, the vampire that has a huge bounty on her while being trapped in this school for many years. _I wonder how she endured such a long journey in the same place you see everyday for all those years._

Shutting my thoughts down and adjusting my attention to the battle, I pondered on the pained look that Setsuna has while she lowered my body onto the ground, knowing that our surroundings are safe for a limited time.

"What's wrong?" I asked with an innocent expression, even when I was covered with bloody bruises; I was treating them like they were on a lower level of importance.

_But then again, they are pretty painful._

"I-It's nothing compared to you." I knew from her tone that it was not just 'nothing', because her expression already said 'It is serious'. So in response, I went against her claim.

"There's no way it's nothing." I spoke out, even though it was not as audible as my normal voice.

My eyes then skimmed to her shoulder, where it made a bloody path to her wrist. Knowing that there'll probably be more on the back, I decided to examine that part.

"Can you turn around? I think I can heal this."

She did as I asked and turned around like an obedient child ordered by its master. I widened my eyes as the bloody path stretched through her entire back like a river joining other rivers to form a lake. Some of the blood even dripped to the ground, making a little bloody puddle.

_**-FB-**_

_"Hmph, not bad boya!" I panted as I clenched my staff, as it was the only thing that must be kept in possession. _

_**Then again, I do need it in my possession to make magic.**_

_"Rastel Maskil Magister!" I chanted my words while the swords that Setsuna controlled were trying to strike Evangeline down; she was buying me time. _

_"Hmph, that staff belongs to him, huh?" Evangeline spoke as she dodged every knife, bouncing from tree to tree like a ninja. Then again, a ninja would be difficult to attack with magic._

_"I summon the wind spirit! Sword-wielding brother in arms!" Clones of myself in wind form came up with weapons in their hands while they were all riding on their own staff clones. Though the physical features are not totally right, they still have the right form to be a 'clone'. _

"_Capture her!" I ordered while steering the opposite direction of the clones, making it like a minefield for my enemy to step into._

_"It's useless!" She threw in more magic potions and blew some clones up as if they were just paper._

_"Negi!" Setsuna steered her swords toward Evangeline, knowing that it might be an opening for attack._

_"Cheh!" With supreme speed, Evangeline pulled out multiple potions in two hands and threw them in different directions: one at Setsuna and the other at me. It was so quick that I didn't realize she was throwing them until I got hit with one of them._

_The explosion sent waves of pain throughout my chest, but luckily I steered away enough for it to only cause several bruises. It was like getting burned by a torch after being placed in an Iceland for three years, its sudden temperature change quadrupling the damage of the burn._

_In the heap of the moment, the staff was out of my grasp as I fell to the ground, making a loud thump as my body slammed itself onto the horizon. The pain was not as bad as the explosion, but it still hurts due to the clash of my chest to the ground._

_"I'll be taking this!" The voice of Evangeline was the only thing I heard before I tried pushing myself off of the ground, as if I was trying to do the 'cobra' in yoga._

_Failing, I retrieved down to the lying-on-stomach position._

_**-FB-End-**  
_

Closing my eyes, I tried picturing my staff once again, since I knew that I couldn't perform magic without a staff. Then I pictured its weight on my hand, and its wooden texture consisting of different patterns.

"Hmph, you can't hide forever!" I heard a shout from Evageline as the sound of rustling through bushes got louder and louder in every single rustle.

Knowing that sending my staff to my hand would only attract Evangeline to my area, I cut off my thoughts of the staff before I heard an explosion not that far from us by a meter. Because of the sudden attack, it blew off tons of bushes and made a stream of smoke.

_Hmmm, this must be the potion that specializes in covering one's presence with visual disturbances. She must've used this because I don't my staff with me._

I clenched my teeth together in thought as I tried brainstorming a plan to fight Evangeline.

_She has fast speed …magic potions and fast reflexes –wait! But she hasn't-_

"There you are!" My thoughts were interrupted as Evangeline approached me with fast speed it might even rival a cheetah's, beating the animal by fifty miles per hour. Her hands swiftly place themselves in her pockets before lifting them up with two potions.

In the process, Setsuna steered another one of her blades and direct their direction to the vampire, knowing that it might slow her down even if it's just a bit.

As for Evangeline's side, she avoided the knives and threw the potions at us again like one of those shock-and-awe type of war scenes where the airplanes throw the bombs on the land as their first move. But instead of jumping away, I decided to try something different.

Concentrating on the potions' force of being thrown, I whipped out my hands and pushed them against the force of gravity, in which they were towards the direction of the magic potions. At the same time, it felt as if time has stopped for a slight second, giving me a chance to make my movement quickly and precisely better.

I then shaped my hands into a 'C', both tips were touched to a certain part of something before I realized what it was.

In front of my body, there were the two magic potions in my hands; I had caught them. Etching out a smile, I then moved my hand to the upper part of the bottles, grabbing by their handles. Then I stretched my arms out while I took a step back from the sudden action. With sheer force, I threw my arms back to their previous position, except that it's without holding the potions, making it so that the magic potions are the ones that are flying at the direction of its owner; I counterattacked Evangeline with her own weapons.

She looked a bit surprised by my actions, but the only evidence that help support my statement was the eyebrow that she raised. All in the while, Setsuna seemed to understand my plan and controlled two of her blades to go into the direction of the potions.

When Evangeline was about to escape from her the potions, the knives already struck both of them, causing a two-in-one explosion. I clenched my fist a second time, but this time it was for happiness.

For a chance of victory.

Before I knew it, there was a loud blasting-off sound in the mist of the explosion like one of those noises you'll hear when you're in a space shuttle, where its chemical combination splurged out the pack of force against gravity. The source of the energy was identified as the 'robot', Chachamaru.

"Master, you would probably be defeated if it's not your true form." She spoke after carrying her 'master'. Her features were consisted of a pair of 'robotic' ears, mechanical equipment like the jetpack, 'robotic' arms, which I could tell from the rip of her sleeve, and an emotionless face to top it off.

"Hmph, I already planned this meeting to be _my_ meeting. You were already assigned to do your task for the day." From the expression that Evangeline held, she looked a bit irritated by the presence of Chachamaru.

"I'm sorry for the interruption then." With a bow, she placed her master back on the ground as carefully as possible and blasted off to another location, probably to the place where her 'task' is set at. The roaring sound soon faded as her figure was farther and farther away, making it like one of those perspective animations.

As for our group, we were just speechless for a while before I came into my senses by Evangeline's shout.

"Boya!" She raised her voice as if to alert me of something that would be relevant to the situation. In return, I immediately turned around to face the vampire with as much seriousness as possible, straightening my back and placing my hands to the sides as if I was called by a commander.

"Yes!" I responded back with a serious look on my face before Evangeline's eyes diverted to the person next to me.

"And the half-demon." She added half heartily.

My pulse skipped its beat for a second before I caught onto the words of Evangeline, as if I got into a situation where I have no clue what role I am.

_W-Wait… half-demon…? _That word rang through my brain for a long while, repeating over and over in my head for as long as it liked. In reality, however, it only lasted five seconds.

When the thought of Evangeline saying those words to _my partner_ popped up in my mind, I hastily adjusted my attention to Setsuna with a 'what's going on' face. But that expression softened when I noticed that her own display of emotions were on the frightening side. Her eyes were wide in shock as if she just suffered a million days of pain.

As she took a step back, her features of weak and scaredness were erased, thus replaced with a strong and rage-filling expression. On the other hand, I also noticed that her fists were tightly clutched together like two pieces of paper with super glue in between. Her knuckles were extremely white that I might even predict that there's going to be blood between her hands if she continued the clenching of her fists. _W-Wait, why does the word 'half-demon' trigger-_

"Shut up." My thoughts were interrupted as Setsuna spoke to Evangeline like a knife pointing at a child. _Then again, it does look like that if you compare their physical appearances._

"Hmph, to think that they pushed you out because you had white wings…" Evangeline continued, as if the bones-crushing messages and knives-pointing body language that Setsuna sent to her were merely anything. I still held the question mark above my head, like a lost dog in a crowd full of leashed dogs.

But all of a sudden, everything that clashed together started to make sense now, as if I pushed the button of realization.

_That's right! Evangeline must've said that because she's saying that Setsuna is a half-demon._

"Shut up." From the reaction that Setsuna held in return to Evangeline's words of her being a half-demon, I knew that this type of situation was not the time to be saying anything about half-demons, which meant that I shouldn't be questioning her about it.

_But, what should I do to help? I don't even know anything about Setsuna's past, besides her and the 'ojou-sama'._

I scratched my head in frustration, as many sweat droplets rolled down my sideburn, as if those water drops were my brain cells running away from me.

_Oh man, what should I do? I can't develop a lie. Who knows how much Evangeline knows about Setsuna being a half-demon. She might even lecture me about it and further anger Setsuna._

_**Then go 'love' her.**_

_W-W-What?! I-I-I…!_

I shook off my conversation with my 'other' self and tried my best to think of a solution that won't involve anything harmful. _If it's harmful, then I don't want to risk two students before I even start teaching._

I pressed the realization button again as I blinked my eyes with an 'oh! I get it!' expression. It was the type of method I would normally use to divert away from certain topics:

Changing the topic.

Feeling a surge of strength, I stepped in between my students and direct my attention to Evangeline, knowing that the 'changing the topic' would best make sense if I use a certain amount of words toward her.

"Evangeline, you just called me a while ago. What was that part about?" I asked while the mischievous expression on her face faded into a content one.

My eyes then took a little peek at Setsuna, as she took a deep breath, lowering her rage level as much as possible. From that sight, I felt a gentle 'woosh' of relief, as if you just got cleared out of sins that you've committed.

In the midst of my 'examining', Evangeline spoke.

"You have passed the test with your partner."

Author's Notes (10/23/09): Oh man, last weekend was full of outgoing activities (usually weekdays are super packed with homework I only could get in like 1-3KB each day), so that sort of contributed to the minor delay (not to mention a minor idea-shortage of future chapters). And two days ago I had 3 shots (HPV, seasonal flu, and H1N1) so my arms are super sore and I could still feel it eating away my strength (heck I could barely write, but I'm glad that it hasn't affected my typing as much). Not sure if it's a case of allergic reaction, but I got a swollen eyelid right after the day I got my shots (I mean, isn't that at least a tiny slice of suspicion?) and it's been blurring my vision. Anyways, aside from those worrying RL situations, let's go to the fiction. Hmmmm, I don't think the battle was extremely well done (since I usually suck at these type of scenes), but I decided to throw in Evangeline (Vampires rock! ;D Irrelevant-I had a dream about being a vampire and sucking the living life out of many people, and it was fun! Until the alarm clock rang…) and pushed into Negi and Setsuna's relationship. And as always, let me know if there's anything you would like me to fix (in which I'll complete it ASAP) and R&R!

Edited (10/23/09): Just a little touch up after the first version ;D Oh yes! I almost forgot! Please let me know if you like this chapter's way of flashback or if you like a certain order between the flashback and the present, 'cause I'm experimenting new styles ;p

Edited (10/25/09): Alright, I added in -FB- sign to show that it's titled Flashback. You can check out Ch1 for the legend of other stuffs like -D- = dream. As for the similes, I got rid of some of them to ensure that it won't be considered overloaded along with other repeated parts/etc. For some odd reason, FanFiction is killing my italics in some parts, which is the reason why some readers got confused (in which I edited that part too ;D). Credit to Tsukanda for the pointers ;DDD


	6. Aftermath

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've added more action than fan-service in the anime series.

Replies (to anonymous reviews):

Tsukanda – _"__This chapter was interesting. The only thing I have to really comment about is this "new style" you're experimenting with. xD You mention that you used some flashbacks, and I can see that but somewhere in between I got a little confused. You should make it clear at the beginning of the chapter what type of text you will use for Negi's thoughts and Flaskbacks, because I think you used italics for both here? Correct me if I'm wrong, I may just be reading poorly, rofl D: Oh and, I see your style is to use a lot of similes to help your descriptions. I like it, but this chapter was a TINY BIT overboard with the similes in my opinion :P None-the-less, I still greatly enjoy reading the story! Keep up the good work, and I'm glad you actually read my reviews! LOL!" _Ah, thank you for the pointers ;D I actually do use italics for both thoughts and flashbacks because they're both from the mind (thoughts would be Negi thinking and flashbacks would be inside his memory), but since it's confusing, I'll make up a sign that'll assign flashbacks, dreams, etc (btw, FanFiction also killed some of my italics which made them normal text so that also contributed to the confusion) As for the similes, I actually read some stories from my English textbook that um, what do you say… like… poisoned me? So I'll be going around my chapters (especially the 5th) and I'll tweak up some stuffs after I finish my homework, self-projects (I'm making paper guns! Yay!), and whatever that'll be keeping me busy before I'll squeeze in a 1KB or 2. Once again, thank you for the review! I'll be looking forward to more in the future ;D

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"__Great so far, Very rare couple Negi and Setsuna, Can't wait for more" _Thank you ^^;; I shall update as much as my busy schedule can ;D

* * *

"Ouch!" I clutched my arm, knowing that the focus point of pain was in the area that I was holding. It was like the result of a person's rampage where you just fought with the items around you, while slowly damaging yourself in the process. But for my situation, I knew that my bruises were ten times worst than the average angry little boy, punching his fists against several randomly chosen objects.

With the pain gaining more territories of my arm, my body fell onto the carpet, which is a part of our room. As for how we got here, Setsuna and I had to leave to our dorm room after Evangeline dismissed us due to the lateness in time.

_To be precise, it should be about 5:30 PM by now._

Since most of our clothes are torn up due to the damages, we had to get through our paths with extreme caution, in case if anyone came by and saw us

"Are you okay?" My body lightened up when I saw Setsuna's concern for my well-being, as if she was the match to my candle, the flame that showed many different meanings depending on your point of view. Some may say that the flame would burn you, but others might think optimistically and say that the flame is the source of heat that'll warm us up. But then again, I should place that definition to the greenhouse gases, since they're the ones literally keeping the heat in Earth's atmosphere.

Covering up the pained expression I held previously, I answered with as much courage as possible. "I'm okay. I just need to get my staff and perform it as soon as-"

I couldn't finish my sentence, because I was already coughing like crazy. It felt like something uncontrollable was coming out of me, but at the same time it felt good, as if I needed it to be uncontrollable in the first place.

"You're not in any shape to be saying those type of stuffs." She then reached into one of her pockets and had out a magic potion. It was the potion that relieves you from any types of wounds, burns, and even bone-breaking situations.

"Here," She stretched out her arm with the potion in her hand to my direction, as if she was giving something to me. "Evangeline gave me this after we were dismissed from our training. She said that this bottle is the only one that she had, so you should drink it."

"I-I …a-already …told you t-to use it… l-long b-bef-fore." I choked out in rough syllables before a splatter of blood came out of my mouth and onto my hand, making a bloody path from the top of my palm to the edge of my wrist. The blood then slowly rolled down a couple centimeters down as time went on.

"But your condition is much worst than mines. Besides, it won't heal our wounds properly if we share it." She countered, still holding her position with her claim.

Knowing that I have no say in this, aside from the fact that I couldn't talk without splurging out streams of blood, I then gave up and accepted her offer. To express that, I weakly nodded to her before taking the bottle out of her hands.

With a certain amount of force, I pulled out the cork of the potion and placed it on the table, the one that we shared meals on. Lifting the bottle to my chin, I could smell the aroma of violets, roses, and other flowers. It was so soothing and warm, as if I entered a world full of gardens.

Placing the tip of the bottle on my lips, I then adjusted my body so that the bottom of the potion was facing the intersection of the ceiling and the wall, making it so that the contents of the bottle were going through my mouth.

When the liquid landed on my tongue, I felt its warmness and tingling feeling spreading from my jaw and eventually to the rest of my body, as if I just entered the hot springs water after a snowstorm, its warmth slowly crawling all over your body.

After just a couple seconds, I felt the strength that I had before the fight with Evangeline. It was like being rejuvenated in the 'bacta tank', the type of liquid that surrounds your entire body, enveloping it with its medicine.

Knowing that the contents in the bottle are empty, I placed it back on the table, making it as less noise as possible, especially when it landed on the surface of the table.

"So, how is it?" She questioned me, all in the while smiling at my healed body since I won't be having bandages around me during my first class.

"It's really good and soothing that anyone would want to drink it a second time." I replied back, smiling back with as much appreciation as I could pour out.

"That's good."

In the midst of our silence, her body jerked back as she gripped her right shoulder, wincing in pain.

Like reflex, I hastily went to her side and kept her from falling by placing my hands on both sides of her body, each hand resting on each arm.

"Are you okay?" With worry and concern in my tone, I asked for her condition even if I already knew what type of condition it was. It felt utterly painful to see her like this, especially when you're the one getting healed instead of the person next to you.

With that, my mind flashed back to the time when I showed my bravery over my bruises as realization spread its light upon my thoughts.

_That must be the type of feeling she got back at that moment._

I then felt a jolt of warmth as Setsuna placed her hand on mines, displaying a way to say 'I'm okay' without saying it, but through actions. I then felt a pack of heat concentrating its flaming temperature on my cheeks like a bunch of flamethrowers firing at one spot. From that, I knew that it was the type of feeling that I wasn't fully introduced to, yet at the same I wanted it to be introduced.

As for the time being, we stayed in our position for a couple seconds, which indeed felt like an eternity, before I started feeling uncomfortable with 'that' type of feeling.

"U-Um." I stuttered out, not wanting the uncomfortable silence to overflow the atmosphere. "You want me to make dinner?" I knew that her injuries could not take the daily activity of preparing a meal, so I just had to ask.

"It's okay. I still have my left hand to use." She replied back, using the same courage I used back in the split-second flashback I had.

"But, you're bleeding really badly." I countered her argument, but not with a raging fist of anger. Instead, it was full of the worry and concern that I held ever since the beginning of her pain.

I then remembered my healing capabilities, and knew that I could only heal scrapes or other minor injuries, but not something like a deep wound. This caused me to feel useless as a partner since my main priority in magic school was offensive magic rather than healing magic.

"It doesn't matter." Setsuna's voice killed my thoughts as I paid my attention to her words like a student to its teacher. But it took me a while to process the words into my mind since they were piled up with other thoughts surrounding the new thoughts, like having too much cholesterol that builds up in your veins, slowing the blood flow down.

Once I finally brought myself into realization, I then countered with a more reasonable claim.

"It does." I tightened the grip on her before continuing. "It's not good to let an injured person work when their condition will worsen that way." Following the end of my sentence, I felt tears that made its way from my eyes to my cheek, its droplets of moisture drawing down their paths like a car driving over a garden. I then released myself from our position before brushing the streams of tears off with my elbow, rubbing it in a left-to-right motion.

I tried keeping my sobs to a minimum noise level, as I didn't want to be seen like this, especially for the fact that I'm still a ten-year-old kid. That plan failed as Setsuna turned around, changing her expression from content to altruism.

"I'm sorry. I've gone a bit too far." She spoke, and wrapped her left arm around me, filling me up with as much warmth as possible.

In response to the sudden warmth, I processed that event into my mind, and relaxed my head onto her uninjured shoulder, all in the while clinging onto her like an inseparable pair of chains linked together.

After yet another brief moment of silence, in which I enjoyed, I then felt something liquidly passing through my clothes like something has just tapped into my system for no reason.

Glancing to the possible area that caused this liquid feeling, I then realized the situation before I pulled out my actions.

"S-Setsuna! You're bleeding real badly!" I jerked my body just a bit to get a view of her uninjured shoulder, which was the source of the blood trickling down to my clothes.

_Her wounds from her back must be opening up to her shoulder._

I clenched my teeth together in frustration, as I blamed myself for not knowing that this type of thing would occur if not taken care of earlier; I felt regret.

At the same time, I noticed that her eyes were closed and her skin was getting paler, in which I had decided that she had gone unconscious during the silence. This caused the increase in speed for my heartbeat level, as my body shook in panic, scared of the unclear future.

"Hold on! I'll get some bandages!" Placing her body down as gently as possible, I then ran to my luggage, in which I had still haven't unpack it's contents to this minute, and unzipped a certain pocket. It was the pocket that contained my medical materials for emergency purposes like the one I'm having now.

Reaching into that pocket, I brushed through the items for something round and soft. It took a second or so before I finally grasp my hand around it, and at that moment I quickly pulled it out. Unfortunately, the haste that I applied on my 'pulling' lead to the output of other contents that were in the pocket, each material making a gentle thud against the carpet. But that sort of information was irrelevant, as the main priority was to use the item that was in my hands.

And that 'item' that I've been talking about was actually a bandage roll that was from my academy. Unlike other regular bandages, this type heals the wounds while stopping the bleeding at the same time.

Running back to Setsuna's side, I quickly thought of how to wrap the bandages around her without 'sneaking a peek' on her body. But with that in mind, I felt my cheeks lighting up in redness like a lighter triggering its flame to appear.

Shaking off the blush, I reached out to the bottom of her shirt and gently scoop it up, exposing some parts of her skin. This caused the arrival of more heat into my face like suddenly being thrown into an erupting volcano.

_W-Wow, it looks so–_

I quickly cut my thoughts out, but that only encouraged more to come and overflow my brain system, its transmission sends increase by a hundred.

My hands vibrated uncontrollably as I pulled the edge of her shirt upward, to the point where it showed her bandaged chest. This was done as much haste as possible, but at the same time as gently as possible.

Knowing that her ponytail would make it difficult to get the shirt through, I carefully slide her hair tie out, which released the ponytail into her 'straight hair' mode, and placed the tie on the table nearby.

Going back to the process of taking her shirt out, I grasp the edge of her shirt again and pulled it out through the rest of her upper body with as less force as possible. With that, her appearance was just similar to yesterday where she was changing before taking the bath with me.

Changing my view to her shoulders, I noticed that one of them carried several bruises while the other had a cut.

_But the main focus is her back._

Pushing her body just to the side, I then placed my vision on her back. I widened my eyes at the sight.

There were two heavy wounds that crossed each other, making an 'X'. On the upper part of the 'X', there were bandages that were covering her 'that', but some parts of those wrappings had large bites of it taken away, in which those areas had smaller wounds. Along those spaces besides the 'X', there were also some bruises that were even more serious than the bruises on her shoulder. All in the while, they were bleeding heavily.

_Crap, those bandages around her …uh … chest… might need to be removed since they're already at their limit._

I jumped at the thought of taking her bandages off as more lava heat marked their territory on my features.

_But since we're partners, don't I already have the right to do that?_

Gulping the dryness off my throat, my heartbeat sped an additional twenty beats per minute as I started unwrapping her old bandages. By the time I reached to the point where I might 'see something', I thought up of an alternate way to undo it without looking at 'it'.

Closing my eyes and placing my direction opposite of Setsuna's presence, I proceed the unwrapping until the bandages are entirely free from her skin.

_I'm not looking. I'm not looking._

With that repeating in my mind, I kept my eyes on shut mode before I used my own bandages in the place of hers. Starting from her right shoulder, I managed to trace the wrap down to her left hip, making a diagonal line on her back. I did the same to the front, in which I succeeded in avoiding her personal area. I then changed the direction of the wrap to be higher than her hip, and finally to the point where the bandages' placement was from diagonal to horizontal.

_**Why aren't you looking? She already gave you the right.**_

_No! I'm not ready for this type of relationship! Besides, I'm doing fine in the bandages even though I'm not looking._

The argument that I had in my mind was interrupted when I felt something soft. Inwardly widening my eyes, my entire body froze before a small moan came from Setsuna's mouth.

_C-Crap! She's awake?!_

_**Nope, that was done unconsciously.**_

_Oh really? Wait, how do you know this?_

_**…**_

Knowing that there was no response from the 'inner self', I continued the bandaging around Setsuna's chest, avoiding the touch that I had earlier.

* * *

After placing Setsuna onto the bed, I had to clean up the blood that she left off on the carpet. I then took my own bath, in which I had tried my best on the cleaning materials without Setsuna's help, and made a simple dinner-for-one. Then I used the rest of the time to unpack my stuff like my alarm clock, which is set to 6:30 AM, my clothes, which are thoroughly organized in one of the dressers, my equipments as a mage, which are either placed in my desk or near my dresser, and other stuffs that you would normally unpack into an empty dorm with minimal furniture. And just a few minutes ago, I had brushed my teeth, which felt pretty lonesome without the presence of Setsuna by my side.

I sat myself on the couch before looking at the clock, wanting to know how long I had accomplished all of this work.

It read 9:00 PM.

_I should probably sleep._

Before I crept myself onto the couch, I looked towards Setsuna as she was still sleeping. Her skin had grown less pale, as I inwardly smiled to myself for her recovery.

Turning back to the couch, I was about to slide myself in the blankets before I heard the sound of blankets rustling. Since the source of that sound came in the direction of Setsuna's, I quickly adjusted my view back to her figure, in which she had woken up in a sit-up position, exposing the bandaging that I had done for her.

She looked like she had just woken up from a horrible nightmare, as her pants were increasingly high and her shivering was constant. Worried, I decided to uncover that secret behind her sudden actions and condition.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She paid her attention to my words as her expression softened to my presence.

"Yeah, I just had a bad dream." She answered, eyes casting down to the blankets. "What time is it?"

"It should be around 9:00 PM. You should probably sleep for the rest of the night." I replied, knowing that her condition needs more time to recover through sleep than through motion.

Noticing the bandages that were wrapped around her, she then placed her hands on them.

"Did you do this?" She questioned, knowing that they're more fresh and new than the ones that she had before.

"Y-Yes." I stuttered out while my face flustered at the past experience.

Her figure wavered a bit before her eyes closed and her body landing on the bed like a corpse falling down to its destination.

"S-Setsuna!" I quickly ran up to her to check her condition.

Her body was shaking as she held a pained expression, showing that she needed more rest than the four hours that she had endured. I felt yet another jolt of warmth as her hand grasp mines. With eyes halfway open, she said something that nearly caught me off-guard.

"Is it okay…" She had said in a quiet-yet-audible voice, making me want to come closer to her in order to hear the rest of the sentence that she started.

"…that you could sleep with me tonight?"

I felt startled by the sudden question that she had asked, as if she had suddenly changed her personality. But then again, she is in a rather fragile condition than her usual strong self.

Mustering up the courage to speak, I replied back as normal as I usually would be.

"Yes."

Author's Notes (11/8/09): Dane, my back hurts hecka lot from just sitting here (btw I don't relax my back on chairs, LOL!), but I finally managed to make this 45 KB (w00t w00t!). Alright, basically this is yet another transition to a new day, but with the 'moving the pieces together'. Sorry for the delay, last weekend was full of Halloween stuff that I couldn't even land my butt on the computer chair ;-; but hopefully the next chapter shouldn't take as long ;D As always, tell me if there ever is any OOCness, errors, anything else that sort of bothers you, or just a random gd o' comment. If you had reviewed during ch 5's release and you have not gotten my reply (if you're NOT anonymous), it's most likely due to ff (but please let me know if you have not or have gotten the reply). Now, R&R! P.S. The lines -- and the lines keeps on mixing up with each other, so I'm going to add that in the legend. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out ch 1.

Edited (11/9/09): Um, I just found out that my Author's Notes contained no ff(dot)net at the end of "most likely due to ..." so I fixed that up ;D And I also added in "Yes" instead of "It's okay" Btw the -- lines are now turned to the regular ff ones, ch 1 should have the ff version instead of the -- version.


	7. First Class Pt 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've had Negi placed in Setsuna's room ;D

Replies (to anonymous replies):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Another fantastic chapter! the warmth, happyness, caring, love, pain, sorrow. I seen other storys on fanfiction but never have I seen a better story then this! you my friend, It will take somthing special to beat this story! please keep on the hard work and always smile! PS. Thank you for putting my comment on this chapter ^^"_ Wow o-o I never knew that my fiction was this good, considering that I usually 'suck' at grammar and vocabulary. But other than that, I thank thee for the compliment -bows down- ;D Btw your welcome to your P.S. ^^b

M – _"this is very good." _Thank you ;DD

NxSrockz (I like your name ;D) – _"Cool story. Its very interesting. DO update more often. cheers!!" _Thank you ;D I will update as much as I can, even through this cold that I'm enduring through ;o

Tsukanda – _"I have nothing to say about this chapter; I am fully content with it. xP I loved it. When Setsuna asked Negi to sleep with her...I smiled, literally. :] You set up the atmosphere nicely! Yet again, I'm glad my pointers were of use to you! I will definitely continue to review, keep up the great work!" _Thank you ^^;; I will use your pointers to my advantage and do the best that I can ;D

* * *

A certain sound came out of nowhere, knocking the door to my head and slamming its fists against it. Because of that, I felt annoyed by the constant noise, and decided to do something about it before my head starts blowing up into pieces of death.

Raising my hand, I quickly target to the source of the annoyance, and swung towards it with as much speed as I could muster up, which outputs a loud slap. With that, the atmosphere turned from loud to quiet, as if I pulled a plug from a sound maker or a stereo playing heavy metal.

Lazily opening my eyes, I noticed that my fingers are curled around the top of my alarm clock, which is where the alarm button is at. Since I'm interested in the time, I adjusted my view to the two hands of the clock, the ones that are smaller than the clock on the wall.

It was 6:31 AM.

Before I could get a sense of my surroundings, a small moan came out from my side along with a rustling of the blanket. Turning around, I then noticed that Setsuna was facing the same direction towards me while holding an innocent-sleep expression. This type of thing was one of those rare-to-be-seen, where the character bears another side of him or herself, like a dual personality or a schizophrenic disorder.

_And I feel lucky to be seeing this –Ah! Wait I…!_

Immediately cutting the connection to my thoughts, I then focused myself on a higher priority objective, which is developing a morning routine for the school days that are yet to come. Knowing that her condition is set at 'state of recovery', I decided to do my own thing before waking her up, as I don't want to make her wounds last longer than they're suppost to by working out her body out at a time earlier than what was due. You could probably relate this to a person running a marathon without having any proper stretches, which can cause 'pull-a-muscle' or even worst.

I then gently dragged my body out of the blankets while making as less noise as possible on every single action I've gone through to do this. Succeeding, I then proceed to put myself on the carpet.

Placing my feet on the ground, I then noticed a whitish square on the table. Since I was nearly half-asleep, my eyes were still blurry like having the case of cataract, its visual disturbances clouding my vision as if my eyes were the camera lens and the blurriness the smudges of fingerprints.

Brushing those disturbances out of my eyes with my elbow, I then fixate them on the 'whitish square' that was revealed as a white envelope. Since there wasn't an envelope like this the night before, I decided to look through it, curious to know what it contains.

After ripping the seal off, I took its contents out, which was a piece of paper folded in thirds, the type of size you'll want in an envelope. Scooping up its ends to unfold it, which was a success, I then saw a sentence along with a picture of a smiley face that has a sweat drop on its forehead, making me wonder what the message was about that'll suit the atmosphere of this smiley face.

I then realized once I read it:

_'Sorry for not letting you know about this earlier, but Setsuna, Evangeline, and Chachamaru are your students for the year.'_

_…w-wait… WHAT?!_

Surprised at the sudden words, I accidentally dropped the piece of paper onto the floor, my body vibrating at the sight of Evangeline's presence as if she was the one to be feared of most. I then pictured her with blood on her fangs along with her arms reaching out for me. Then the image of the classroom came up, having each student aside from my partner, who would probably be fighting Chachamaru in the process, laugh at my humiliation.

_Uwahhh –Wait for a second! If she's going to be my student…_

Replacing the torturous ways of her possible actions with her as a student, I couldn't help but output a near-silent chuckle as if the roles were turned, making me the master and her apprentice.

The sound of the clock ticking woke me up from my thoughts, as if I was kicked out of a territory. _Oh yeah… it's still the first day of school. I shouldn't be daydreaming like this._

With a deep breath of air, I then focused myself on getting my stuff done, manifesting a serious expression on my face.

_This is still my training! Time is the essence!_

After dealing with the bathroom and meal, I was about to change into my teacher's uniform before I heard something.

"Uhn…" Putting my attention to the source of the sound, I noticed that Setsuna had woken up with her position as a sit up. The blankets slid at her actions, making them just a few inches away from her neck.

Just a slight second after, she had clutched her arm in pain, which immediately motivate me to come over.

"Are you okay?" I asked, holding a concerned voice. Her muscles seemed to relax at that moment of my tone before responding, as if she was cured by my presence.

"Yes, it's not as bad as it usually was." She replied, waving a hand of relief over my body, calming my own tensed muscles as if there was a massage out of nowhere.

"By the way, what's the time?" That question caught me a bit off-guard, since I realized that I haven't been checking the time ever since I woke up.

Turning just halfway, I then adjusted my view to the clock, not paying attention to the texture of its borders, but the 'insides' that displayed a sign of time as that was more relevant than the art.

It read 7:30 AM.

"You still have an hour before class starts, so that should be plenty of time." I spoke out while holding a 'don't worry' expression on my face, as if I was trying to reassure a child that there's no such thing as monsters, especially under their beds.

"That's good." She spoke back, while seemingly relieved herself. I smiled at her response, knowing that she's not in any mood that involves stress.

"Now that I think about it, why are you waking up so early? School doesn't start until 8:30 AM." She added, seemingly curious at my earliness and pace, wanting to know how slow I could deal with things that are normally achieved with ease.

"Teachers are suppost to be earlier than students." I stated, scratching my head as a side activity, which is a habit that I developed on my own. _Scratch that out. Takamichi brushed this habit on me._

She blinked for a second before muttering an 'oh', in which I screamed 'cute' in my head before cutting the thought off with a shake of the head.

_Man, what's wrong with my head? Am I even myself today?_

But her next question was the one that brought all those worries to my mind, as if they became knives to stab into my brain.

"And what class are you teaching?" She added. With that, my entire body froze as if I was stung by an ice bee, its chilling temperature grasping each and every feature of your body and numbed it. Gulping those degrees down, I decided to unleash the words out, breaking the shell of ice.

"…2A" Though barely a single droplet of volume, it was enough for her to hear my message.

'_Teachers and students shouldn't have __**that**__ kind of relationship' Those were the words said by my sister, whom I knew that she never lied. And since they're not lies in that quote, I started to wonder_-

"Oh, so you're in my class." My thoughts were shut off as Setsuna brought her response. Her expression was still the same, as she looked perfectly content with the situation, cutting through my expectations of a shocking reaction.

I then had on an inquisitive face, wanting to know how she could act so calm in this situation, as if she had undergone a situation where she has been shield from evil when I'm not.

"What's wrong?" She questioned, making my back jerk just a bit to make my spine straight up. This also froze my limbs, turning them into negative amounts of degrees, the type that you'd normally find in the ice lands of ice age.

That feeling worn off after a small rustle of blankets, which came from Setsuna's actions. She had brushed them off to the side, allowing her figure to be shown in the light. My view quickly adjusted to her chest, which revealed the same bandages from last night along with a small view of her skin surrounding those wrappings. This increased my temperature through my cheeks, so I hastily turned my head the opposite direction to cool it off before I start getting dizzy.

"Sorry." I muttered out, trying to cool down my degree bar with the view of the wall, decorated with the dressers in front of it. There was also a couch, which still carried the pillow and blankets I had from the first time we came here.

"T-Tea-ch-chers…. and-d st-students…" This starting phrase came out in rough syllables, but I'm sure that she understood my target of words like a bullet successfully hitting a primary spot.

However, silence was all there was, gulping down the sounds caused by other activities other than Mother Nature's.

"So?" She finally spoke, making it seem more sudden than expected; the silence was short lived when she responded.

_But then again, wasn't I expecting a response?_

"Aren't we 'special' exceptions?" She added, countering my argument with a much more proficient style of combat as if she found an opening in my attacks. With that in mind, my mind opened up, making my realization the dominant side for now.

"Oh yeah." I muttered out, which made me look like an idiot for a second.

_Wow, I'm really thinking too much here. Mornings are just not my type of mood._

In response to my horrible yet comedic reaction, there was a small giggle unleashed. I knew that the source was from my partner, as there isn't anyone else in this dorm room except us. I couldn't help but join in for a bit, as our small waves of laughter filled the room with its sound waves.

The small moment we had together ended as she had said her words.

"By the way, shouldn't it be time to go to school, teacher?" She questioned, putting more emphasis on 'teacher', making my bones shiver at how long we've been making time pass.

My eyes quivered as they reached to the wooden clock, scared of the possible future of being late.

_Or else I'll make a bad impression…_

It read 7:45 AM.

This gave an air full of relief and alert, both of these antonyms cramming its contents into your body with its pressure, in which it might even drown you in their sea.

"Sorry, I'll need to go to school after I change into my uniform. Is it okay if you take care of the other stuff?" I asked, turning my body to face her even though she still has her bandages exposed. On the other end, however, time was the main objective, so that boosts the strength of my actions for its goal of achieving both time and expectations from the principal.

"Yes." She responded back, nodding just a bit to give me the minimum amount of physical messages.

I nodded back before grabbing the clothes off my desk. Pausing for a moment for her to go to the restroom, I then proceed to unclothe my current pajamas and replace them with the uniform that I was assigned as a teacher. Though uncomfortable, I knew that this was part of the training, so there's absolutely no way I should back out my training by the comfort level of clothes.

Grabbing my folders that I've been given by Takamichi, I made my way to the front door before turning just a couple degrees around.

"I'm going." I called out, while smiling at the same time even though Setsuna might've not heard me.

* * *

I walked through the hallway, finding just a couple students on the side with expressions that told me that they're 'bored'. Some of them, on the other hand, were chuckling and grinning at my presence, as if my figure was not enough to be set at the rank of a teacher's.

The sound of a door opened came to my ears, as a middle-aged woman emerged from that area. She had light green hair that curls at every ten inches, making it look wavy like the ocean current. Sitting on her nose is a pair of glasses, though they look more like reading glasses than those 'O' shape ones.

She approached me with a hint of expectation, as if she was assigned as a particular role in my training.

"I'm Shizuna, and I'm going to be your instructor until you get used to teaching a normal class." She bowed, giving me with a teacher's respect, which made my temperature up to the heated end; I was embarrassed.

"Um, okay." I weakly replied back, being sort of 'I don't know how to respond like this'.

"Nice to meet-"

My sentence was interrupted when there was a feeling of softness engraving its scar on my face. I blinked at the sight of Shizuna's chest and her hand pushing my head into it, as her expression didn't change; it was still the same smiling type.

"…You?" I finished, making it sound more like a question than a regular message.

"Well, have any questions?" She asked.

"Can I have a cookie?" I muttered out in reflex, as if someone possessed my body and made me output those very words.

"Hey! Shizuna's doing it again!" A voice called out along with footsteps approaching my position. Not just a slight second later did I felt the force of being taken out of Shizuna's softness, following with a hard-surface impact on the landing.

"First it's the students, and now it's a shrimp? What's up with your taste?" Directing my eyes to the person who said those words, I noticed that she was hugging Shizuna as if she was a prized possession.

She had on a student's uniform, much like the ones that I saw when I was going to my marked destination earlier.

In response, Shizuna giggled just a bit before outstretching her arm for me to take.

"You shouldn't be saying that to Negi. He's a teacher." She spoke before I took her hand, strength pumping me back on my feet.

As for the students, they looked surprised, widening their eyes with disbelief in their pupils.

"No way! He looks like an elementary student!" One of them pointed at me, still holding the same expression from the point where Shizuna said that I was a teacher.

"You can't judge people by their age." Shizuna held her index finger up while closing one of her eyes, as if she was teaching someone an important lesson.

The other girls reacted with a softening look, erasing their shock and replacing it with an emotion the opposite of their previous expression:

Take-Home mode.

"AND HE'S SOOOO CUUUTE!"

_CRAP!  
_

_

* * *

_

Author's Notes (11/22/09): Wow, I've been cramming in too many delays x.x;;; (in which I'm absolutely sorry for –bows down-). But I finally got through my finals for trimester 1! ;D Yay! Ummm, let's go to the story now ;p Mmhmm (I'm kind of brain dead now lol…), I'm going to make his first class day into individual parts (don't know how long it'll be though) so expect a second part of this in the next chapter ;D And just like always: If there's ever OOC, errors, miscalculations, whatever, be sure to let me know ASAP ;D (lol, I've been saying this in every author's note xP) Oh yeah! Thanksgiving break is here w00t w00t (so updates shouldn't be delayed like last time ;DD …unless if mom drags me out to buy stuffz T^T) R&R!

Edited (11/23/09): I accidentally misspelled Shizuna's name with Shizuru (from Mai-HiME), so that thing this fixed. I also edited Shizuna's hair to light green since I was too used to her manga version that I assumed it was blonde xP (thank you SHONENJUMPBOY for pointing that out -bows down-)


	8. First Class Pt 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've added in another strange pairing xP (maybe FatexKonoka, TakamichixAyaka, etc) 'cause I'm weird like that ;D (btw, I'm not supporting those pairings, I just used the randomizer xP)

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Exellent! Negi is now at school! whats gonna happen to him? I must be patient and wait *excited* Keep up the fabulous work! PS. i think shizuru XD has light green hair, if not, im sorry"_ Yep, patience is the key ^^b Btw I edited it so that Shizuna has light green hair (and I credited you for it ;D hooray!)

Tsukanda – _"Lol yet again, you did great! I chuckled when Negi said "Can I have a cookie?". xD It was cute. Yeah, I have nothing to complain about this time either, HURRAY! xP I look forward to seeing what chaos you can come up with during Negi's face time with his class. ;D" _Yes, the fun begins ;D mwahahaha

* * *

"SOOOO CUUUUTTTEEEE!!!" Footsteps dominated the sound waves coming from the outside world, as I braced my life for a marathon run, going to any destination that'll put me in a situation filled with calmness and stability.

_Uwahhhhhh!!!!!!_

I panted with each step, sending in more beats per minute in my system as if a machine has just upgraded its speed to ten times its normal one. At the same time, my arms swayed with the airflow, balancing my figure to maintain its course so that I won't fall easily.

I then grabbed a small wand that was kept in my pocket. It was shaped a star at the tip, as the rest was just an austere wooden stick. I used this type of wand back in magic school, where we perform magic for an exam. Only up to the point where my father showed up and gave me his wand did I stopped using this small one.

_Oh man, this wand makes me feel nostalgic._

I then point star tip at my feet. Using the power of magic, I focused it on my legs, making them move more rapidly than an average ten-year-old. Because of that, I was able to outdistance the students by ten meters, the type of distance that'll be considered as 'far'.

As I was running, I tucked back my star wand back in its previous location, not wanting anyone to see me carrying such a thing and holding inquisitive looks because of that.

Turning my head to the chasers, I noticed that they had stopped. Two of them looked like they were trying to catch their breath while one of them was pointing at me, blurting out words that I could not hear due to the distance between us. That person also held an angry expression, as if she hated failure. With a smile, I slowed my speed down, knowing that there's no need to use this type of speed and earn even more stares before I turned my head around to see where I'm going.

Right when I step on the brake panel for my speed, I felt a small jolt of pain, following with a loud impact noise, the type where bodies slam themselves on the surface. My mind went blank for a moment, trying to process the events that just occurred as I rubbed my head, knowing that my head also fell on the ground.

_Wait, did I just fall onto another person?_

I quickly adjust my view to see what type of situation I've gotten myself into, especially if it's one where I'm involved in an intimidating situation.

_And it is._

Right in front of me laid Setsuna with her school uniform, the one that all the students worn in the hallway aside from the boys' uniform. Her hair was straightened, the reason being the hair band on her wrist, as I'm assuming that she was thinking of tying her hair in class. This reminded me of the scene where we formed our pactio, thus painting my face with a deep color red, its visuals matching the temperature.

_And I'm right on top of her…_

In response to my actions that I've committed earlier, her entire face was drenched in red, making it seemed like she was enduring a hundred degrees, which is the same as my own face and situation.

I gulped, not knowing what to do, as my heart sped an additional fifty beats per minute, its thumps never ceases to make my blood flow any happier. My eyes traced her figure, as her innocent expression fuels the temperature within my body, and especially the heat within my face.

"Whoa! This is a nice scoop!" I heard a voice on my left, following with a flash, making both Setsuna and I jump out of our position. Turning around to the source of the sound, I noticed that it was a red haired student with a ponytail along with bangs that were pushed off to either side supported by hair clips. She held a camera, probably a digital one, while having a paper loop titled 'Photography squad' around her left arm. All in the while, she carried a mischievous expression, which creep me out of her future actions.

_She looks… scary…_

"An unknown elementary student hooking up with our class's best samurai! That's a good title!" She spoke out, looking at the ceiling instead of us along with a hand cupping her chin. Her eyes seemed to be sparkling with joy of her own message, as if someone had bought her an expensive gift and gave it to her for no reason.

_Wait, since she took a picture of us, does that mean she'll be spreading it to the other students?! Talk about bad impression on the first day of school!_

"What are doing Asakura?" Another voice crept in the situation, as I turned around to the person saying those words. That person had long dark green hair with two strips of hair sticking out on opposite sides. She also had glasses that were almost the same type as Shizuna's, except they're more rectangular.

Since she said 'Asakura' to the person that just took a picture of us, I'm assuming that camera person's name is Asakura.

"Look!" Asakura pulled her camera out to the other girl, as her reaction was both shock and awe, which is nearly equivalent to the response of the students back at the scene where Shizuna told them that I was a teacher.

_Crap! This person-_

Before I could finish my thought, I felt a high wind pressure that lasted for a second, following with a 'slash' sound. On the visual end, Setsuna was right in front of the two students, raising a dagger in her hand, in which she had already execute the action of slicing the camera, splitting it in half.

"I already targeted the memory card spot, so it's useless to repair it." She muttered out in a monotone voice, which made both of the students shivered at her violent-yet-reasonable behavior. Judging from her weapon of choice, I assumed that her samurai sword was not allowed in school, in which she packed a smaller knife in the place of her usual one.

Placing the dagger back into its shell and putting it back into her pocket, Setsuna turned around, purposefully ignoring the duo before approaching my position. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper folded in fourths. It was not as big as the letter I received from the principal, but it was rather small enough to be the size of a novel cover.

Her hand, now with the paper, directed its path to me in a way that'll be an offering.

"This is the map for this school. Don't get yourself lost." She spoke out in a more soothing tone than her monotone one, which gave me a small amount of relief of her behavior towards me. Accepting, I then took the paper and unfolded it, revealing just as what she said: A map with room numbers, levels, cafeteria, and other stuff that is necessary to be read.

Looking at the sign near the door that was next to me, it read 2-C.

_Hmmm, if this spot is 2-C, then 2-A shouldn't be that far… _I skimmed through the map, trying to find 2-C's position and 2-A's.

_Ah, there it is!_

"Thank you, Setsuna." I replied back, folding the paper back into its previous form and packing it into my own pocket, as I already understood the map, knowing that 2-A is a mere yard away.

"Hmmm, you're even calling her by her first name… isn't that suspicious?" Asakura bumped into our conversation, eyes still in sparkling mode before she direct her attention to the person next to her. "Right, Haruna?"

And that person next to her, whom I'm assuming her name is 'Haruna', nodded happily along, agreeing with Asakura like a subordinate with its master.

With that, my body shivered at Asakura's and Haruna's eyes, as they're both lit with inquisitive sparks within their pupils.

In the midst of it, however, the bell rang, signaling all the students to go to their classes.

"Crap, and we're suppost to be meeting a new teacher." Asakura muttered out before grabbing her broken camera and heading towards a particular destination. Haruna also did the same, following Asakura, bolting with the same speed as her.

As for me, I felt blank for a second for the sudden department of the students before I rejuvenate my realization side, knowing that I was still a teacher, as I don't want to be late for the first day of class.

"You want me to lead you to 2-A?" Setsuna asked, all in the while tying her hair back to her side-ponytail.

_Then again, it looks better when it's straight –Ah! Wait… ugh forget it… just answer her question!_

"Sure." I replied back, at the same time nodding back with as much agreement as needed to match my actions with my words.

* * *

After going through hordes of students, who are seemingly rushing to their own classes, we finally made our way to 2-A. Just like the map said, it was only a yard away from our previous location, which is 2-C.

There standing next to the classroom door was Takamichi as he held an expected look, directing his attention at me when I was in his range of sight.

"Hey, I've been waiting for you." He waved a hand out, winking at the presence of Setsuna's and mine's.

"Small world." He added.

"You nut." I countered back, as our casual ways never seem to disappear through our words. He chuckled just a bit, covering his mouth with his fist, before placing it back to its side.

"You should be at class, Setsuna." Directing the message to the person next to me, he then held a thumb towards the door that's a mere inch away from him. The sign on it read '2-A'.

"Yes, teacher." She nodded with fair amount of strength before entering the door that was next to Takamichi, already knowing that it was '2-A' without looking at the sign. Through the opened door, before it was closed, I could hear loads of voices coming from every sector, as if this room was designed for singers with different experiences. Just as the door closed, Takamichi made a signal.

"Follow me." Raising his hand, he used two fingers and moved them in a way that'll match his actions with his words; he swung his two fingers back and forth, coming closer to his figure and mines, except by a small amount of distance.

He then walked further into the hallway, with me following him, as we reached another door, its sign saying 'Office'. It was a pretty large room, with desks and computers, along with papers overflowing many of those desks. He approached one of those desks, with a small tag marking 'Takahata-sensei', which I'm assuming it's his desk, before he searched through his files of papers that were laid out on his desk.

_Talk about being messy, Takahata-sensei. _I smiled at his struggle, knowing how sloppy he was when it comes to paperwork.

"Ah, here it is!" He said to himself, holding a booklet with only two sides, making it look like a file folder on the inside since it's only two sides. Opening it, it revealed over thirty pictures of students, all with names under them. Some parts even show some writing, in which looked like Takamichi's handwriting.

"Alright, this is the right one." He added to the conversation with himself. Closing the booklet, he then turned around to face me, and reached out his hand with the book towards me, offering me to take it. "Here."

Accepting, I grabbed the object in his hands before doing the same actions that Takamichi had done before giving it to me: Opening it and reading it.

I scanned through the pictures, astonished to see how many students there are.

_Man, this is going to be tough dealing with thirty students –Wait, is this even thirty?_

"This is your student booklet. I didn't have that much time to write about each student, but please use my notes to your advantage when you need them." He spoke, explaining the booklet in front me.

As I skimmed through the pictures, I noticed one of them was Setsuna, in which I felt another pack of heat going through the territory of my face, its temperature at the same height with a fever. I then quickly closed the booklet as a way to cool off my overheating parts like a runner stopping to get water after a mile run through the desert.

"What's wrong?" Takamichi questioned me, curious to know the reason behind my actions of closing the book after viewing it for five seconds.

After a small moment, he smiled at me, realizing the situation I'm undergoing.

"I see, it's _her_ picture isn't it?" I jumped at his message, knowing that he figure it out. Along with that, my face was again dyed with red in embarrassment, since he already targeted the spot.

"A-Anyw-ways, w-we ha-ave to g-get to c-class." I stuttered out, my emotions shaking my voice down, trying to dominate against me.

He paused for a moment, before responding like normal.

"Oh yeah huh." He agreed, scratching his chin with his hand while directing his view to the wall, in which a clock was embedded on it.

I also placed my eyes on the clock, curious to know what the time now.

It read 8:35 AM.

_Crap, we're already five minutes late!_

"Well, we'll let it slide for now since I'm the one wasting your time." He had on a reassuring smile, trying to calm my panicking side of being late.

* * *

Going back to the place we were previously at, which is the hallway near the 2-A door, he opened the door with ease, as if he's experienced enough to handle a situation like this.

Upon entering, he quickly raised his hand, in which I had spotted a blackboard eraser, its rectangular figure embellished with the color of black along with the white powder of chalks. Swinging his arm with the hand he raised, the eraser that was just about to fall on his head was smacked three meters across the classroom, making an impact sound against the floor.

His head was now held low, as his leg moved forward, in which I had noticed a rope. Moving his foot against the rope, he then quickly kneeled down, arrows with a 'U' rubber tip passing through what could've been his head, and also making their destination the ground. At the same time, there was a bucket hurling at the same target, but ending up with the same fate as the arrows: falling to the ground.

"It's not good! He's seen through it!" I heard a loud voice in the classroom, dominating the rest of the noise that the class made, as Takamichi turned to me with a smirking expression, knowing that if I went in, I would've ended up in an even worst position than him.

"Well, this is just to make up for you being late to your first class." He spoke before turning back to the classroom and going further in to the center of the blackboards, the area where teachers usually go to, obviously. I followed his footsteps, stepping over the rope and ignoring the other obstacles that were set up as a trap, and stood next to him.

Adjusting my face to the crowd of students, I noticed that one of them was Asakura, in which she held another camera, probably a spare pair, and took pictures of me, its flashes beaming out every three seconds. Her smile still creep me out the same way we first met.

Directing my view to the middle row, another familiar face was shown, which is Haruna. Her expression was still in the same curious-yet-mischievous form, as her hand was still on her chin, thinking like a wise man. I shivered even more at her presence, scared to know her possible future actions since they're most likely different from Asakura's camera-in-the-face technique.

Finally landing my eyes on the left row, I noticed Setsuna was among them, crossing her arms with a content expression, closing her eyes as if she was meditating. The same hundred-degree temperature came back on my face, as I quickly shook it off, directing my eyes away from her figure.

Going to the rest of the crowd, I noticed that most of them held inquisitive looks, wondering about my presence. Some of them even whispered to one another, while keeping their eyes on me as if they're gossiping, which gave me the shivers of what their gossip is.

"Hey! Quiet down!" Takamichi called out, putting both of his hands on the teacher's table, its tall height showing how much level the teachers have compared to the students. Upon his words, the class had quiet down just like expected, as I was surprised at his way of getting the class to be quiet.

_Hmm, I should add that to my list of 'What to do when you got to make the class quiet'._

"Are you going to be our form teacher again this year?" One of the students asked, her cheery expression matching her tone. She had orange hair with two ponytails, along with bangs that reminded me of my sister.

"No, this guy is." He moved his hand towards me, as if he was introducing me the same way I was introduced to Setsuna as her partner.

The whole class fell silent for a moment, which sort of surprised me at how they react to these types of situations. Before I knew it, the entire class shouted.

"EEHHH?!" I felt startled by their expressions of disbelief even though I knew that they would be saying that. And after that shout, the class went back to their loud conversational side, gossiping to one another while some are still holding their mouths open.

The door then swung open, revealing Shizuna. Her eyes directed themselves to me, as if she was expecting me, the same type of eyes that I saw back at our first encounter.

"Sorry, I was ordered by the principal for my presence, so I had Takamichi substitute for me. I just came by to see if he has done his job." She said, wanting me to understand her situation for not being here as the instructor.

"Oh, does that mean you're taking back your place?" Takamichi asked, curiosity filling into his eyes.

"Yes," She replied back.

As Takamichi and Shizuna switched places, I glanced back at the crowd, their reactions slightly decreasing in volume. And before I knew it, one of them came up to me, opening her arms and placing them around me in a hug. That person had pink hair that was tied in two small ponytails.

"Awwww, you're sooo cuuutee." She cooed as she rubbed my face with hers.

_Um…yes…?_

Just a second later, another student came up with an angry expression, its target at the student hugging me. She had long blonde hair along with bangs that were hung loosely on all parts.

"Hey! Maki! You shouldn't do that!" She called out, which gave me a small sign of relief.

_Okay, I guess she's on my side…_

"Because **I** should be doing that!" She added.

_I guess not…_

Following her shout, another group of students came up to me and also hugged me.

"SOO CUUTEE!"

_AHHHHH!!! NOT AGAIN!!! HELP ME SHIZUNA!  
_

* * *

  
Author's Notes (11/25/09): Wow, I've really got stuff done this break ;D Yay! Fast update ;p Ummm, what else should I say…? (Sorry, whenever I'm done with a chapter, I kinda feel light-headed xD) –Oh yes! First class doesn't stop here! I'm planning on making the next chapter the last part (unless if more ideas pop up in my mind that'll be best suited to appear in the first class) and other than that, I'm really considering Setsuna's point of view (as I'm still plotting, I MIGHT make the next chapter her point of view, but can't guarantee xP). As always, let me know if there's anything OOC, errors, or just a good o' comment. And… HAPPY THANKSGIVING PEOPLEZ W00T! (even though I'm typing this a day before, but you get what I mean xD) R&R!

Edited (11/25/09): Just edited some little parts that might sound jerky.

Edited (11/26/09): Another small edit on some tiny parts. By the way, Happy Thanksgiving ;D (and it's the real date this time ;p)


	9. First Class Pt 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've had an alien sponsor the anime (hehe, I wish…).

Replies (to anonymous users):

Tsukanda – _"Lol, Asakura and Haruna are on to them! xD That was an enjoyable read as always...I hope to see the fast updates continue! xP I think you should test out Setsuna's POV too, I mean you could always alternate between them depending on which POV is more entertaining right?" _Hehe, yep, I threw in two of them because I knew that they're the most interesting ones ;P But anyways, I am going to (well, try to xD) use Setsuna's point of view in this chapter (gah… this will be tough lol…)

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Now this chapter gave me a HUGE laugh! I was laughing so loud that my next door neighbour shouted 'SHUT UP!' oopps lol And when Negi speeded up I was thinking 'sonic's got a new rival!' *laughs* Great chapter! Hope you americans enjoy thanksgiving day!" _LOL! Glad to know that this chapter intrigues you ;DD And yes, now that you mention about sonic, I could just picture them circumnavigating the globe six times before either one of them runs out of fuel xPP Happy Thanksgiving ;]

* * *

**Sticky Note: This is now from Setsuna's point of view (in which I had finally consider after alternating a few screws in my plot)  
**

* * *

"SOO CUUTEE!" The shouts of the students were like knives invading my mind, causing a slight headache; I was irritated by their sound waves. I also placed a hand on my head to counter against the aching pain, but it was proven useless as I let it fall back to my side.

Opening my eyes, I looked towards the situation that Negi is enduring through, curious to see what's going on.

There were about twenty-five students swarming around him, saying words like 'adorable' or 'cute', while others squealed in joy or merely stood for fun. And because of them, I can no longer see his figure, but I could tell that his face read 'Troubled'.

A slight tightening feeling welled up in my chest at the sight, as I quickly diverted my view away from the crowd and onto my English textbook, which is sitting right in my desk. I pulled it out and opened it, wanting to take my mind off of this situation. Flipping through the pages, I then heard yet another voice that dominated the others.

"So what's your relationship towards Setsuna?" I felt a wave of shock passing through my system as if I was I was temporary paralyzed by a spell. This also caused my temperature level to rise, as I tried obscuring my face by looking down, placing my textbook on my lap instead of the desk.

_With this, anyone can tell that I could be reading it._

_**But you're not the type to 'read'. Everyone will get suspicious this way.**_

_Shut up._

"Um…" Negi's voice came out, which made the entire class silent, letting him continue his sentence.

_Crap… this isn't good…my body's shaking like crazy…_

I bit my lip in frustration before swallowing the nervousness, in which it brought only more nervousness into my system, especially in my chest. I reached out with my hand, in which it vibrated when it's moving, and placed it on my pulse within my other arm. It was pumping so fast that it could beat my other high records.

_Hmm, it sped up by fifty beats per minute… great…_

"Well… we're friends." He finished his sentence, which stopped the abnormalities that were taking place in my body.

Sighing in relief, I raised my head up before I heard yet another slam, which surprised me.

"That's awesome! How did you guys meet?" There were two hands on my desk, as its owner had wavy violet hair. Both her eyes were filled with curiosity, which creep me out the same way Asakura did when she found a 'scoop'.

Her name, as I remembered from the attendance, was 'Kakizaki Misa'.

_'How did you guys meet'… should I say that it's 'classified'? N-No… they'll have indecent thoughts that way…_

_**Then why don't you say the truth?**_

_Jeez, you don't need to interfere with my thoughts._

Cutting my mental conversation off, I then intake a larger amount of air, and replied as smoothly as possible.

"We're distant relatives."

_What a great choice of words… Now Asakura would be able to have more indecent thoughts…maybe even writing something like 'Incest! Incest! Read all about it!'_

"Oh really? But you don't even look like him at all." Misa spoke back, placing a finger on her chin while squinting one of her eyes as if she was observing something.

"Of course not! They're _distant_!" Another student bumped into the conversation. She had short black hair with laid-out bangs, which sort of made her look sporty. She was 'Kugimiya Madoka', one of the cheerleaders of our school along with two other classmates.

More chats continued, seemingly willing to pass the school time without any proper education. On the other hand, Shizuna had tamed some students by countering their arguments with the need of education.

_But her 'taming' is taking way too long! I should probably do something…_

I stood up from my position, already executing a self-made plan that I've created in a mere two seconds. Grabbing the dagger that was resting in my pocket, I quickly drag its blade out from its shell, and targeted the blackboard, as I ignored the consequences of my actions.

With sheer force, I threw the knife right at its destination, its silvery triangle tip glued to the board on impact. Since it passed by the crowd up to the point where it was close to killing them, most of them screamed, in which they are now the target of attention.

Everyone then directed their eyes to where the knife was thrown from, in which they finally traced their stare at me with widened eyes, each one of their pupils filled with shock.

"Let. Him. Teach." I knocked the silence over with a tone that was much more frightening than any of my other known ones. This brought me a mixed feeling filled with relief and regret, but only rage is shown at this current time.

There was a slight pause in the atmosphere, the sound of nature being the only source of sound in the classroom. I felt my expression of irritation softening, as if I finally output the last bit of my anger.

_I think I overdid it…_

They started to move back to their seats with content expressions, either with walking or power walking. But nonetheless, they all sat, ready to receive the education they needed.

Sitting down, I then brought out my textbook that was previously on my lap, knowing that it is time for class.

"A-Alright, turn to page 128 in your English textbook." Negi spoke, grabbing a chalk from the lower end of the blackboard.

* * *

"Haah… first day of class and I've barely taught anything…" Negi sighed as he walked down the stairs, each foot looking like they're just being dragged.

We just finished school not that long ago, as we made our way out of the school building, setting our destination to the dorm. There were also a couple of students passing by us, some which either smirk or gossip to the person next to them.

_…Haah…first day of school and now there's already rumors…_

"Um," I paid my attention to the person next to me, his innocence never seem to disappear through his words.

"Thank you for earlier." He finished his sentence, holding an expression consisting of both happiness and relief. Seeing that type of face also brought in a warming feeling inside my chest.

"No, it's just that those classmates are always so noisy." I replied, trying to explain my inadvertent altruism.

"Besides, I got in trouble for making a mark on the board." I added, at the same time remembering how Shizuna gave me a warning for violating school property.

_**-FB-**_

_ "Though you did get everyone back to their places, it's not good to do something that'll break the school rules." She explained, holding an index finger a couple inches away from her face._

_ "But I'll let you slide with a warning this time."_

_** -FBEnd-**_

"Hey, isn't that person carrying a lot of books?" Negi's voice came up, pointing at the western direction. I looked at that same direction, noticing a short-purple haired girl with bangs that covered most of her face.

"Hmmm, what's her name… –oh yeah! Number 27: Miyazaki Nodoka." He answered his own question, as I was surprised by his memory of our class since it has only been the first day of school.

_I guess it's to be expected by someone who's training to be a Magister Magi._

"Wow, that's a lot of books…" He commented, having an 'o' shape mouth that goes along with his surprised expression. His free hand, knowing that the other was busy carrying his 'teacher' work, stroked his chin as if he was in thought.

"Should we help her, Setsuna?" He questioned me, all in the while holding a concern expression for the student. With that face and expression, I knew I had to give in to his innocence.

"I guess we can. It's not like we're in a rush." I replied back in agreement.

Readjusting our destination, we made our way to Nodoka, as she looked overwhelmed by the tower of books. She didn't seem to notice us at first, but only when Negi had called out to her did she finally paid her attention.

* * *

"Thank you for the help." She bowed, making her hair look like a curtain, before she stood back up. In her hands only laid four books, two that are medium and two that are small, as both Negi and I held about six heavy ones.

"No, it's no problem. Besides, you might slip and fall if you were to continue." Negi interjected, using circumcised reasons to back up his claim.

"Then, what about Setsuna?" She looked over to me with only one of her eyes shown, as her hair obscures the rest.

"Well, it's not good to let a ten-year-old hog all the heavy books. _He_ might slip and fall." I joked, making both of us chuckle at the image of Negi carrying all the books while walking down the stairs before tripping and falling head-first into the ground.

"Hey, that's not nice." Negi commented with a frown on his face, though it is not to the point where he'll backfire at us.

It was not long until we reached the dorm's entrance, in which we had to use our backs to open the door since our hands are full. When I, as the last one, finally came through the door, I noticed two familiar figures standing in the center of the hall.

"E-Evangeline?!" Negi blurted out, before turning his head to the other. "A-And Chachamaru?!"

_Oh yeah, Evangeline wasn't here for class today…_

Evangeline smiled at our presence before snapping her fingers for Chachamaru to make her move.

"Do their job." She added, making sure that Chachamaru gets the message through words.

"Yes, master." Replied Chachamaru before her arms outstretched themselves towards Negi's and my patch of books. I hesitated for a moment before handing in my share while Negi didn't, as he handed them in straight away, scared of disobeying Evangeline's orders. _He's still traumatized by that battle yesterday…_

Her arms, now with the books on each hand, traced themselves back, carrying the weight as if it was paper.

"Hey! You there!" Evangeline placed her attention to Nodoka, as the shorthaired girl jumped at her sudden shout.

"I've got an appointment with these two. You mind if I borrow them?" She questioned, holding a content expression, which differs from the expression she had shown to us, especially during our battle.

"A-Ah, s-sure." Nodoka stuttered out, as I could tell that she was nervous when interacting with both Evangeline and Chachamaru.

_Probably because she doesn't see them that often…_

"Thank you." She added while bowing yet again.

As both Chachamaru's and Nodoka's figures finally disappeared from our view, Evangeline did the 'follow me' signal, in which she drove us outside the dorm. Upon entering back to the outside world, I felt a pack of wind blowing against my face, which seemed relaxing due to the heat that was kept in the dorm.

"Boya," Evangeline started out her sentence.

"And half-demon," Anger and rage burned into my system, as I clenched my fists to output it. I also furrowed my brows into a frown, as my body shook, shouting 'must fight!'

As for her end, she smiled wickedly and cross her arms, which only fueled more hatred inside my system. Glaring at her, I put myself in a near-battle stance, ready to pounce at her when there's an opening.

A hand then held onto my shoulder, which drained those feeling away while relaxing my tense muscles, as I turned to its owner, knowing that it's Negi.

He held a worried expression, which drove a drill into my chest. Shaking his head, I then replace my stance with the position that I've held before Evangeline uttered the words that I've considered 'taboo'.

"Sorry, please continue." Negi spoke out, in which he had then let go of my shoulder.

As for my end, I had only gazed into the ground, fascinated by its texture of concrete, especially at the cracked marks that were scarred in by earthquakes. Ignoring their conversation, I then start to ponder on how troublesome Evangeline is.

_She's such a pain, knowing my secret…_

I felt a droplet of moisture rolling down the side of my face, as I could tell that I'm sweating in frustration.

_**And what's so bad about it?**_

_Shut up, and since when did you start taking sides against me?_

_**I'm not taking sides. I'm only revealing the truth behind your thoughts.**_

_Then don't interfere._

The conversation was interrupted as I felt a pack of heat around my left hand. Looking towards that direction, I then noticed that Negi had his right hand wrapped around mines, in which he had also carried a smile.

"Hey, let's go. Evangeline excused us from battling today." He spoke out, looking cheery as ever, which only brought in more heat into my body at his sudden physical contact. I then looked back at the spot where Evangeline was previous at, noticing that she was no longer there.

"Um… to where?" I asked, wondering what our destination is as if I was a lost animal.

"To school of course!" Going forward to the opposite direction of the dorms, his actions dragged my body to the pace of his.

_To… school…?_

_

* * *

_  
"WELCOME, NEGI-SENSEI!" My entire body jumped at the sight of all of my classmates' shouts, throwing out confetti here and there. Knowing that the whole class was here, I quickly drag my hand away from Negi's grip, not wanting Asakura or Haruna to notice our physical contact.

"W-Wow, so this is what Evangeline was talking about…" He commented with a surprised-yet-happy expression.

_**-FB-**_

_ "Hey, hey, we should plan a party after-school for Negi! It'll be a way to make up for our behavior earlier." Chao spoke amongst the crowd around her, as I packed my books inside my bag along with my homework, pulling the strings of the bag to tighten up the opening so that nothing will come out._

_**Hmm, PE should be next. Better go to the locker room.**_

_ "That's pretty neat right there!" Another student commented, as I entered through the door, knowing that I've eavesdropped on their conversation._

_** -FB-End-**_

_ Oh yeah… I totally forgotten about this…Then that means that Chachamaru probably spread the news to Evangeline, in which it match these events perfectly._

"Negi-sensei! Over here!" Ayaka waved over to our direction, her eyes never taking off of the person next to me, which only brought an even more tightening feeling into my chest.

"A-Ah, coming!" Negi called back, his tone still a bit shaky from the sudden surprise party. He then turned to me, as I blinked at his actions, expecting for him to be heading to Ayaka's position.

"Shall we go then?" He asked, driving my temperature level higher at his sudden closeness, feeling even more heat into my facial area.

"Ah, well…" I was at lost for words for a second, shy at the fact that everyone is hearing our conversation.

A sudden wave of force pushed me forward, nearly forgetting that Haruna's presence was set to 'extremely close'.

_C-Crap! She pushed me… into…! W-Wait!_

Chu.

As our lips connected, the same softness feeling engraved itself inside my body, exciting my hormones to no end, as my temperature rose up to a hundred degrees.

At the same time, my body felt entirely weak, unable to stop what's going on, in which I had to grab Negi's shirt in order to keep myself up.

_It feels so…_

I then noticed that there were a couple flashes at our direction, its light beaming at the side of my view, which only targeted my left eye.

"Yes! I finally got the best scoop there is!"

* * *

Author's Notes (11/29/09): I tried cutting off the excessive and unnecessary detailing in this chapter and also tried adding more scenes (so best to review on that part if you notice that's it's either better, worst, or just plain same thing as my usual chapter 3 ~ 8). Anyways, I decided to give a day off of training for Negi (yes, yes, I do have mercy …for now) and Setsuna and replace it with Haruna and Asakura ;D hehehe As always, tell me if there's anything OOC (this is the first time I've done Setsuna's point of view, so please spare me D;), errors (I think I need to start recruiting editors… I've been so tired of editing lately… it's killing my head .), and w/e that bothers you or w/e that you liked about it ;D Now go R&R!

Edited (11/29/09): Modified a couple sentences, but other than that, time to nap my butt off -snoozes-

Edited (11/29/09): Oh yes, I just popped back in to tell you that the updates are going to be 1-2 weeks since tmrw is school T^T but let's hope for Christmas break to be beta ;D

Edited (12/1/09): Whoa, I just noticed that one of the sentences were not italicized (at the "It feels so...") since that's one of Setsuna's thoughts, so that part is fixed up (in which ff(dot)net killed it yet again ._.)


	10. Childhood Friend

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've made a fluffy moment of NxS in every episode ;p

Replies (to anonymous users):

Tsukanda – _"Oh wow, I absolutely LOVED this chapter! :] I think you did a splendid job using Setsuna's POV, a really good decision! And adding the double inner thoughts of Setsuna really makes everything more dramatic ;D Setsuna's way of getting the classes attention was quite...flashy. LOL! I must say, it was a little OOC when she did that, but it was VERY entertaining! You shouldn't worry about that OOC moment though, because with the "demon's" inner thoughts that taunt her, that situation fits quite well. :] I absolutely look forward to the next update!" _Thankz for the P0V compliment ;D and as for the minor OOC, I wanted her to show her violent side as oppose to the fluffy side (as shown in the edited form of ch 2) but glad to know that it was entertaining and fitting with her 'demon' side ;DD

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"OH WOW! NEGI AND SETSUNAS FIRST KISS! well as for the story, It didn't feel right somehow, I like the way we're in setsunas POV but Somthing doesn't feel right. but Its a great story, don't give up! PS. Don't go over board with the story (well you don't have to, it is YOUR story) Because a few storys tend to get good but gets over done." _I apologize for the 'not feeling right' part -bows down 5 times- and I will not give up dun worry ;D I'm just having a hard time plotting the chapters out when all I'm ready for are the chapters that are happening in the future (as said in my author's notes). And for the P.S. thing, umm… what would u consider as 'overboard'? ^^;; (I'm sorry, I know I'm very stubborn at times like this) Btw, if you're talking about a kiss without a pactio (they actually did had a pactio kiss in ch 3), then that'll be considered a 'first kiss'.

* * *

"Hey, Se-chan!" I heard a voice from the side before turning my head to it, placing in my vision the figure of Konoka waving at me. Acknowledging her presence, I bowed down as respectfully as possible. Turning yet again, I then faced the school building, and walked towards it, knowing that the time is at 8:20 AM and for the fact that'll it take five minutes to get to class from my location.

The person right next to me, however, did not budge in that moment as I drew our distance farther.

"Ah, good morning uh –Number 13: Konoe Konoka." Negi's voice came up in that distance, as the seconds passed before his footsteps approach me, joining my pace towards my destination.

"Um," He began his sentence, which drove my attention to him. As I traced through his expression, I noticed that he seemed distraught, motivating me to unveil the reason behind it.

"Is she someone that you don't like?" I blinked at his finishing sentence, which turned into a cornering question, at least from my point of view.

"A-Ah," I stuttered, trying to come up with words that won't mislead him.

"She's the 'ojou-sama' I was talking about earlier. I have to pay her my respect even though I am no longer her guardian." I explained as Negi's expression softened into a content one, which brought in a small amount of relief.

"I see…" He responded with his head raised along with a finger placed on his chin, which seems awfully cute. _For goodness sakes, I did not just say that._

_**You just did.**_

_Shut up._

"Then, why don't you talk to her? Isn't she a friend?" His questions knocked out the relief I had earlier, replacing it with a whirlpool of pressure. This also made me feel off-guarded, as I'm not accustomed to these types of questions.

"W-Well, I tend to not want to talk to her that way. I usually just stand in the back-"

"Hey! Hey! Can I take a picture of you guys?" My reply was interrupted, as another voice joined the scene, revealing to be a student from another class. She had long purple hair with a clip separating her side bangs. Her expression was nearly identical to Asakura's expression when she finds a scoop, which made my body quiver at the resemblance. Even her hands bear the same digital camera.

_Crap, did Asakura gave out the news about us already?_

More students seem to group up with her like a magnet attracting both the North and the South Pole charges. Some –cross that out– all of the students held cameras of all different kinds with the same sparkling eyes as the first student.

They started to approach me.

I bit my lip in frustration before grabbing the hand of Negi's, as I quickened my pace to about fifteen miles per hour, not wanting any 'fans' to come along our road.

_RUN!  
_

_

* * *

_  
My body fell onto the chair, tired from the run, as I brushed off the excessive sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. I could also hear myself panting heavily, along with my audible heartbeats. Placing a hand on my chest to support myself, I then remembered the bandages that were wrapped around this very area by Negi two days ago.

_Then again, I never asked him about this… –but I don't think that's a topic that both of us want to get into._

Looking towards the front, I spotted Negi with almost-the-same condition as mines, but he seemed to ignore them; he had shunned all of the symptoms with a content expression.

"Alright, turn to page 130." He began, in which I had matched his words with my actions, flipping my textbook to the assigned page.

_**-FB-**_

_ Still feeling weak, my hands slowly trace down, losing strength in my gripping. I could also feel the heat within my body increasing every second, as if it was trying to drown me in a whole other dimension. Though eyes are closed, the image of his figure never left my brain, as if his very presence is essential to my will of living._

_ Pushing in, I suddenly felt a stream of moisture entering my mouth, as its flavor was endlessly pleasurable to enjoy. On the other end, that flavor had also moved along, tasting my own flavor, in which I felt a boundless amounts of sparks within my hormones, encouraging me to continue._

_**Wow, it's super go– wait… what am I doing…?! Why is this a consensual situation?!**_

**You're doing what you want.**

_Before I could stop the uncontrollable actions, a sudden pressure forced my body backwards, namely the type of force done by another person's strength, as the heat between our lips vanished. My grip on the person in front of me also loosened, as the force drove me to the ground, making me sit on it._

_ Jumbled feelings dominated my brain, as I felt oblivious to the outside environment. The only things I could think of was the heated moment where immense amounts of pleasure entered my system, and how it made me felt like I wanted more of that pleasure. My body also felt numbed, as the pain of the sudden pressure was merely nothing to my senses._

_ Though feeling dizziness, I could make out the figure of Ayaka with her arm around Negi's, her expression consist of rage towards a direction other than my own. As for Negi, he looked dazzled, which corresponds to my situation._

_**-FBEnd-**_

"Konoe, please translate this passage." Noticing that I'm back in reality, I examined my surroundings, wanting to know what the current situation is.

Spotting Nodoka to the left of me, she had an English textbook at page 131 in front of her along with a couple pieces of paper on the side filled with notes. Mirroring her supplies on the table with mines, I flipped my own textbook to the same page as hers, noticing that it's about a cat named 'Robert' and a tiger named 'Tyler'. I then got out a pencil and a blue notebook, with the title 'English', and flipped to a fresh new sheet.

Then I turned to the person assigned to translate the passage.

"Yes." Konoka replied back as she stood up with the book in her hands, her bubbly side never leaving her tone.

"Um, the translation would be 'Cat Robert meet Tiger Tyler. Robert say "How you are?" Tyler say "I am fine."'…right?" She asked with the same playful expression, which might question others about her dedication to school.

"Hmm, that's actually pretty good. However, the correct answer is 'Robert the cat met with Tyler the tiger. Robert said "How are you?" Tyler said "I am fine."'. Though you switched some words around and changed it up a bit, it's still a good try." Negi answered, in which signaled Konoka to sit back down.

In the midst of it, however, she caught my stare onto hers, since she was previously egocentric with the translate-the-passage, and smiled at me. I hurriedly diverted my eyes away and onto my notebook.

* * *

"Itadakimasu!" Negi called out before biting into his sandwich, in which he had prepared himself an English-style lunch that was already packaged in the morning. I too bit onto my own sandwich, which was also made by him, and savored the flavor of tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise, in which its taste is greatly different from that of a Japanese person.

Since Asakura's fans are always scouting through the school for our presence, especially during breaks, we decided to eat in a more hidden area, namely the roof. It was a well-thought decision, as the peace in this area prevails over the atmosphere.

A stream of wind passed by which felt refreshing in the sunny weather like drinking icy cold water after having an hour's worth of gym practice.

"Um," Negi started after he finished one of his bites, in which I paid my attention.

"Did something happen between you and Konoka that got you into bad terms with her?" He asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

I paused for a moment before gulping down the food and drinking water from my water bottle.

"Well, I already told you about my failure in protecting Ojou-sama." I replied back. His expression did not change, as he remained inquisitive.

"But, that doesn't seem to really contribute to you avoiding Konoka…right?" He questioned, causing me to feel slightly uncomfortable. To express that, I averted my eyes away from his, being fascinated by the roof's texture. When he spotted my hints, he jerked back just a bit.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to butt into your business." Closing just one of eyes, he held out his hands, waving them in a 'don't get me wrong' way.

Our conversation was interrupted when the sound of the door opening came in. Thankfully, our position is not in the range of sight of the people emerging from the door.

And as for those 'people', I spotted one of them as Konoka, which froze my heartbeats for a slight second, as if the saying 'Talk of the devil and thou shall come' was true. She was also with three other people: Haruna, Nodoka, and Yue, in which they're probably friends that she made.

Getting just a bit closer to their location, I made out their conversation.

"So what's your relationship with Setsuna? I saw you looking at her a lot in class." Haruna's voice picked up in the same mischievous form, which still never ceases to make my bones shiver.

"E-Eh? Well… she used to be a good childhood friend…" She replied back, which brought back the memories of her five-year-old figure playing with my own five-year-old figure, making me feel nostalgic. At the same time, I noticed Negi had also focused on eavesdropping the conversation, in which I could tell by his figure getting closer to their position than my closeness in distance.

"I remembered one time where I drowned and she tried saving me, but she was scared of water. So the adults saved us instead." She added, before casting her eyes down, still trying her best to keep her smile, which end up looking like a saddening expression.

"After that, she stopped interacting with me." I noticed that Negi jumped at her words, but not to the point where he'll get seen. As for my end, I felt a tightening feeling welling up inside of my system along with a wave of uncomfortable air; I did not want to hear anymore.

But my body wouldn't let me move away as if I was nailed on the ground.

Her hand reached out to her face, making it look as if she's brushing something off, then held a seemingly forced smile as she let her hands go back to their sides. "It's like we're strangers. I wonder what I've done wrong."

Feeling a snap in my mind, I clenched my fists as I processed her words as regret filled every inch of my features at what I've done to her. However, that feeling was placed on hold as I felt a touch on my shoulder.

Directing my eyes to Negi, he had held a reassuring expression, which soften my own regretful one.

"But," I adjusted my view back onto Konoka, as her cheery voice came back on, making me feel curious on her sudden happiness.

"I'm glad that Se-chan found herself a boyfriend."

My body froze in place as heat charged onto the territory of my face, its temperature drying out my throat, making me speechless. Strength was drained away as I could only stare at the scene, my sense of sight being the only one to do its task.

_Out of all that happened… that is ojou-sama's impression…_

_**…which is typical.**_

_Shut up._

Shaking off the embarrassed feelings, I then noticed Negi in the same situation as mines before he jerked back, his hand on his mouth. I felt puzzled at his sudden reaction, before the reason was unveiled the second after.

"AH CHOO!"

_Crap… I nearly forgot this…_

As I was too late to begin using ki to protect me, I felt stripped of my uniform, both the shirt and skirt. Feeling the cold air weighing down my bare skin, I quickly wrapped my arms around myself instinctively before feeling temperature raises at this embarrassing situation.

"S-Sorry…I…" Negi paused at the middle of his sentence for a moment before turning bright red at my situation.

"Hey! That's where they are! They've been making love!" Haruna shouted in our direction, startling both Negi and me, and making us lose our cover. I then noticed that she then took out a cell phone from her pocket, in which she had dialed numbers to a certain receiver. _For bloody goodness, why does this have to be a bad timing?_

I felt other stares on our location pressuring me, but the one that I was mostly focused on is Konoka's. She had looked surprised for a second before she replaced her 'o' shape mouth with a smile along with a 'thumbs up', which does not feel encouraging at all.

"T-This is not what you're thinking." Negi spoke out, holding out a hand with the palm facing the crowd. However, his tone was not the type to convince, which only fuels Haruna's suspicions, her smile etching wider.

The conversation was halted when the door slammed open, in which random students, whom I've not met, joined the scenery. One of them was Asakura.

_Crap, this isn't good!_

Grabbing Negi's hand once again, I made yet another charge away from the 'fans'.

* * *

"Haah, what a tiring day…" I commented, clenching the side of my stomach, which is the area that I've felt the most pain. Usually I never run marathons, which only extends the amount of pain on the aftermath.

"Well… isn't it good that school is already over?" Negi replied, his tiredness matching mines, yet he covered it all up with a smile.

"Negi-sensei!" I heard a call behind us, in which my body tensed when I turned to the owner of the voice.

I noticed that it was Konoka approaching us with her roller skates at medium speed. She had an alerting expression, as it matches up with her hand waving in our direction to get our attention. When she finally got to our location, she fetched out a piece of paper from her bag, which is covered with her handwriting. Her hand, with the paper, then outstretched to Negi. "Here's the homework that was due today."

"Ah, thank you Konoe." Negi accepted the work before examining it for a brief moment, then putting it into his folder.

"Do you want to join us?" He questioned, which only tensed my muscles even more than last time. His face then adjusted to mines, in which he had a playful smile.

"Besides, Setsuna needs to stop being shy." Adding that statement, he stuck out his tongue in victory as if it was a comeback from yesterday's joke. I furrowed my brows before replying.

"I'm not …shy." I retorted back, facing the southwestern direction. I could also feel embarrassment creeping in my features, as heat waves rampaged on them.

"You're not shy?" Konoka asked, her voice turning more low than her usual. She also held a surprised expression, following with an 'o' shape mouth.

"Then I'll join if Se-chan says 'Kono-chan'." Her expression changed into a happy one, as she held out an index finger to match her words with her actions. However, I felt speechless at the moment, embarrassment still dominating my system.

I've only pushed myself in a cornering situation…sigh…

Silence was all there was in the moment, as the duo stared at me, waiting for the words. It felt extremely uncomfortable in this egocentric role, as seconds pass before I finally gave in the towel.

"K-Kono-chan…" I said in a quiet-yet-audible voice.

"Yay~"

* * *

Author's Notes (12/6/09): It was hard to plot through this chapter (I actually had to erase the whole chapter like 10 times when I was at 25 KB), since I only planned like future events (and I mean like ch 20 type of stuff), so please give me suggestions if you can D; Anyways, this is my horrible attempt at a very 'heated' flashback from Setsuna's point of view (um… maybe it's too heated…) if you were looking forward to what happened during the party, that is xP but this is basically about getting Konoka back in friendly terms with Setsuna, just like in their childhood ;D Btw I was pretty brain dead when I wrote this, so that might explain for the small amount of OOC and lack of details (but, that depends on you). And umm -still brain dead for the 6 hours that ive spent on this chapter today- oh yes! I'll have to push the next chapter at 2 weeks from now due to some rl events (im going to get drag out again… prob for Christmas shopping x.x) and for the fact that I'm experiencing a minor idea outage. Other than that, please review if you spot anything that bothers you, intrigues you, or just come in with your nice cup of hot chocolate (virtual hot chocolate, I meant ^^;;) R&R!

Edited (12/7/09): Phew, I finally ran through this first draft x.x;;; but anyways, I got rid of some little parts where it might seem repeated and confusing and also add on to those that might need more time to focus on before moving on. Now… -falls asleep-


	11. Sudden Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've put Negi and Setsuna in every cover ;p

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Ah! Now this chapter feels right! Great work! I love it now that Konoka is now friends with Negi and Setsuna. But lol the Part she said 'boyfriend' made me grin! (that sounds creepy lol)" _;D yay! It makes me feel happy to know that ^^ And yes, I grinned at that part too ;p hehe I also didn't want to bash the characters either, so this chapter was pretty much avoiding that line xP (in which I tried my best, of course) Have a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/etc xD

Tsukanda – _"I was wondering if you were going to add Konoka's "part" in this. :] It's cute. There were some parts where you made me think that there'd be a KonoSetsu moment, but you did well in avoiding them. ;P I look forward to more!" _Hehe, I didn't want to start bashing any of the characters, so I kept them in good terms in a way that won't divert the pairing direction as much ;p (I mean, Konoka's a good person ;] no1 would want to try to mess with her unless if u seriously hate bubbly pplz ;o) Besides that, here's an early 'Merry Christmas' from me ;] -clangs the hot chocolate of death-

* * *

_**-FB- + -D-**_

_ Panicking, I quickly upgraded my speed capabilities, driving both of us to the edge of the roof, as the crowd behind us bellowed in random words, making it hard for me to understand what they're saying. However, the relevant point stands in the current situation: we're either going to be smothered by the annoying horde or jump off of the roof._

_ Hastily choosing my path, I change my position with Negi, making it so that I'm carrying him. I could feel a whirlwind of heat engraving my body in our contact, but I brushed it aside as I used a handful of strength to push myself off of the roof._

_ "S-Setsuna!" Negi called out, confused at the sudden actions I've committed. His head was turned to the far-away ground, as the distance was greatly spaced out, which only brought more fear into his expression._

_ As our bodies take in the gravitational pull and the blasting wind, I closed my eyes and activated a certain part in my system, picturing a scene of the white bird flying across the sky._

_ The weight that has pushed us towards the ground was no longer there, as the sound of wind, the type where it's being hauled aside, dominated the silence. I reopened my eyes to the environment of Mahora campus, its forest and constructional parts never seem to look more beautiful in this position. I then readjusted my view to Negi, as he looked speechless and ever-still innocent at the situation._

_** Hehe, he looks so cute. **__I drew a small smile in response of his display._

** Hmph, you just proved me right.**

_** …**_

_ Hearing the 'fans' rushing to the scene, I found myself being zapped into reality, as I ground my teeth in irritation and frustration, directing my eyes to the edge that I drove off of._

_No one was there, or at least not yet._

_Placing my view back on the enviroment, I then quickly controlled the wings that I had manifested earlier and flew at about sixty miles per hour into the forest, not wanting Asakura's group to witness the impossible. Thankfully, my surroundings are all nature's creations, not having a single soul in sight to witness the situation, as I shift my wings back._

_ As I place Negi onto the ground, his body look frozen for the minute, both shock and surprise mixed into his expression like ingredients being put together to make good quality food._

_ "A-Awesome…" He muttered out in a small amount of volume, but it was still audible to the human ear. After that small moment of uneasy stillness, his limbs finally regain their strength, as his eyes blinked into his content expression._

_ "A-Ah, sh-should I get y-your clothes?" Stuttering, his face reddened at the sight, which reminded me that I was still with my chest bandages and underwear. Feeling my own face being enveloped by the heat, I quickly bolt my response._

_ "Y-Yeah." Driving my temperature at the degree of the equator area in the summer, I masked it with the change of eye contact, pretending to be fascinated by the bushes and trees that were bordering us._

_ His own figure then went off to the direction of the school building, which is not that far from our position, as his image was slowly disappearing into the far-end of the perspective line._

_ I remained in my position, keeping my eyes on the location that I last saw him._

_** -FB-End- + -D-End-**_

"Mornin' Se-chan!~" A cheery voice walked into my senses, as the setting that previously appeared on my mind transformed into another dimension. My strength was limited due to the lack of sleep I had, as I weakly pushed myself up into a sit-up position.

Looking towards the owner of the voice, I noticed that it was Konoka with a pan in her hands. Of course, as she was a good chief, the smell emitted from the pan was the mouth-watering eggs she prepared. But it was not the sight of the eggs that appeared in my mind first.

"Where's Negi?" I spoke, uttering out the thought that's been stuck in my head, as I look to and fro the room, finally noticing how much it has changed since Negi decided to unpack his stuff.

_Oh yeah, I still haven't done mines yet…_

"Oh, he's in the restroom." Konoka replied back, directing her thumb to the direction of the hallway.

"I-I see…" I lazily responded back, my tone loosing its density, as I led my body back into the blankets, being too tired to get through the morning.

Before I could feel the sleep taking me back into its world, a wave of realization hit me like a baseball bat knocking out a baseball. Sitting back up in fast jolting speed, I focus my eyes on the happy-go-lucky girl.

"Wait, how did you get here?!" I quickly asked, my level of confusion sky rocketing to a higher point.

"A-Ah," Konoka looked like she was at loss of words for a second before she continued. "I asked grandpa what room you guys were at so I could pop in. Besides, Asuna's out for her paper duties, so I have nothing else to do for the time being." She placed her hand on her face, scratching it by habit.

"O-Oh…" I muttered back, feeling blank in the while, as a blast of heat went into my cheeks. Trying to cover it, I relocated my eyes to the wall, not wanting the thought of Konoka knowing that we're in the _same_ room to dominate my brain.

Before any other actions were executed, I heard the door opened, following with footsteps that were increasing in volume by the minute. This immediately motivated me to go back into sleep mode, as I quickly dove in back into my previous position.

"Alright Setsuna it's time to wa-" Negi's voice died off as the sounds of his tracks were stopped as well. I assume at this point, since I am pretending to sleep, that he just saw Konoka.

* * *

"So she found out about us living in the same room…" Negi sighed as he drove his legs on the stairs, approaching the school like an old man trudging to the last checkpoint of the twenty-six mile marathon, going into a sepulchral phase. I also kept with his pace, knowing that we will need our energy whenever the fans come to us.

"Well, she promised us that she won't tell anyone." I stated out, wanting to reassure him, before yet another thought came into my mind.

"Especially Asakura." I added, expressing with a small smile of relief on my face.

Footsteps thundered behind us, as the conversation halted, before I gesticulate to Negi with a nod. Getting the message, he nodded back with a serious expression before we both activated our muscles and use them to its greatest extent like a transgression of the car speed limits.

* * *

Panting endlessly as I lay myself on the chair, I calmed myself down with relaxation techniques, breathing more thoroughly and slowly. I then direct my view to my bag, in which I placed my hand inside for the hard paper surface of my English book, as some other things knocked against each other in the process. Finally founding the item, I took it out and opened it to page 134.

"Good morning demon. Nice to see that you're worried about your grades." Evangeline's voice came in as her figure passed my desk, only raising my anger in her words and presence.

"Shut up." I retorted back, aiming my view to the vampire before she returned to her desk. Shrugging it off, I held my eyes back on Negi as he took his attendance, feeling astounded by his seriousness in being a Magister Magi. However, the rest of the class was mostly made up of the hysterical laughers and chats by the students, which only drove my irritation further.

"Hey, hey, Nodoka! What do you think of him?" Taking one of the conversations into my ears, I turned to the bookworm and the love-love maniac, Haruna. Nodoka looked a bit concealed, her face obscured by her bangs, while the latter held sparkles of curiosity.

"I can already tell by your blush right there!" Haruna mischievously called out, frightening Nodoka from her position as her body jerked. At the same time, a tightening feeling welled up in my chest, trying to turn the situation into a sombre one.

"W-Well," Nodoka adjusted her direction slightly towards mines, as I could tell that she seemed held-back from the conversation. I caught the gesture, and diverted my eyes away from the eavesdropping, replacing my philanthropic activity with meditation.

"Alright!" Negi called out to the class, making nearly everyone quiet before the trend extended to the rest of the crowd, their lips all shut.

"Please turn to page 134 and we will resume to Section 3." He continued, turning his body to the blackboard with a chalk in his hands. He wrote 'Section 3' on the board, as he underlined it with a nearly straight line.

I could feel my tiredness taking the best out of me, trying to consume me in its sea of dizziness. _Oh yeah… Negi tutored me yesterday night… I wonder how he's taking the seven hour sleep._

As his words slowly caved into my brain, I subconsciously looked towards the window, the sight of birds captivating me. There were two white birds on the branch, as both of them looked like they're talking to each other. Sometimes they made some movement across the branch, both parting and closing each other through varied distances. After those small moments, their bodies then floated with the wind, as they finally passed each other and back, a makeshift circle forming in their actions.

All of a sudden, I noticed a black shadow in the distance, as its presence haunted the birds, making them look frozen. Its figure then closed onto the birds, opening its mouth and 'eating' the birds. Feeling alert of the shadow, I quickly raised my hand, in which I noticed that Negi's expression turned into a surprising one.

"Y-Yes, Se-Sakurazaki?" He nervously choked out, as I could tell that his face was reddening by the minute. I was also feeling the same situation engraving into my face.

"I-I got to go to the bathroom." I rolled my eyes continuously at the students' confused eyes as I said this, knowing that I've got no other excuse to use to get me out of this room without a big crowd crawling over us. In response, his face turned even redder, making his blush ten times more visible than the one before.

"Y-You're excused." He somewhat spoke out, his embarrassed yet innocent touch on his face showing how much unneeded thoughts are in his mind. _Not that I'm blaming him for having those thoughts._

Like on cue, I stood up, pushed my chair aside, and made my way over to the door, ignoring the stares that others held on my temporarily department. As I passed by Negi, I couldn't help but feel my face heating up at the fact that we just brushed our hands in the walkway. But with the reminder of Asakura's photographic desires, I managed to cover it up a second after we passed by each other.

Going through the door and closing it, I stood still, taking small amounts of breaths in the moment, releasing the knot that held the burning feeling on my face. At the same time, I felt my eyes casting down in reflex as my tense fist opened up and softened its muscles. _Thank you, Negi._

* * *

I panted endlessly through the hallways, racing towards the front doors as its distance was not but a mere yard away. Closing that space up, I stepped on the brake panel of my running, desperately trying to catch my breath. In the process, my hand dug into my pocket, and pulled out the shelled dagger that I'd normally carry whenever I'm at school. I shed out its covering. My other hand went into my other pocket, taking out the same brand knife and sheathing it the same way, as I quickly switch my positions of carrying them, making them face away than to each other like the Final Fantasy's 'thief' weapon position. Slowly pacing forward, I sensed a presence beyond the double doors, as the caution side inside of me increased itself ten fold.

Placing the knife's hold into my mouth and biting it, since I want to open the door quietly, I used my free hand to be in charge of the knob. I could hear the sounds of the shadow on the other side of the door, its growl and hollow tone warning and begging me for a fight.

I gulped just a bit, feeling a sweat drop sliding down the side of my face, dreading and thinking about the future events. This is because I have not much of an experience with daggers than my sword, but, looking at the optimistic side, it's still a weapon to use.

Finally turning the knob, I opened the door without much hesitation, as if it was done normally. It looked completely cleared away, devoid of any obstacles, while the wind that blew away the leaves gave me a small amount of cool-down. Putting the other knife back into my free hand, I cautiously proceed through the way, its path made out of concrete, making each of my footsteps an echo. I tried concentrating on the surrounding chi to track down the 'shadow' that was previously growling like a lion, knowing that those sounds are no longer being outputted.

The sound of bushes moving came into my ears, temporarily shocking my body, as I quickly turned to the source of the sound. My alert meter leveled up, as I felt my heart beating faster than before, probably at the point where I was blushing in Negi's presence.

Again, the same sound came out, except it was emitted at a closer direction. This motivated me to confront the suspecting noise, as my limbs slowly budge forward, little by little.

After my last step, I heard thunderous claps of footsteps, the types that were done by elephants, arriving at my destination, as this fully alerted me at the enemy's first move. Since this was done behind me, I quickly dodged sideways, looking at the sight of the axe in my previous location.

My eyes then scrolled to the person who carried it, revealing to be a full-out demon with a bull-like appearance. He had on a somewhat-to-be-makeshift armor on his torso, a 'Bull' character carved in the middle of it. The rest seemed to look like the color and texture of leather.

Thankful that I evaded the attack, I then took this opportunity to strike back, swinging my right arm with the blade towards his neck, as it was the only place that'll look vulnerable.

To my surprise, he took the shot without hesitation, as his body seemed normal at this point. His head then turned over to face me, his bloody eyes showing that he felt no pain, but annoyance.

_What's with this demon?_

I drew back my blade, as there was no blood embedded on its silvery form. I then look back to the wound that I had created, noticing that the skin was slowly putting itself together; it was regenerating.

My eyes widened for a moment, before I skid back two steps to take a good look at what this demon is. His arm was off to the side, looking relaxed, as the arm that carried the axe remained in its position of attack. I then noticed that his back has a black hole in it, assuming that that part is a weakness point.

Concentrating my chi to the point where they're the same form as my daggers, I ran around his figure, noticing that he moved along with my flow, his direction facing my own as I moved. Finally, I made my way towards him, knowing that his movements were a bit slower than mines. However, he swung the axe at that point, which knocked out my possible attacks.

I tried dodging the axe by moving to the west, but this resulted in a painful wound on my right shin. This caused me to have a not-so-good landing, making me fall on my left side, as I clenched the bloody cut, releasing the daggers in the process. At the same time, realization climbed into my mind, motivating my hand, even though it's drenched with some blood from my shin, to take out the pactio card that I've had in my skirt pocket.

I slowly stood up, ignoring the daggers that were on the ground, before I decided to use my pactio weapon.

"Adeat!" I called out, which signaled the card that was once in my hand to transform into a group of knives.

_Fire!_

Controlling the blades like a puppet-master, I direct their destination to the black hole that I previously saw. The demon twitched his eye as he witnessed this before swinging the axe against my outnumbering blades, knocking only a couple down from their paths. However, confidence engraved in my expression as one of them snuck into the 'weak point', as his body jumped at the impact.

He let out a thunderous yet cat-squeaking roar before white cracks spread throughout his body, consuming his form as he fell to the ground, burned into crisp.

My own body fell to the ground, my hands gripping onto the wound, as I sighed in relief of the death of this enemy. I could also feel myself shaking from the experience, and the same heart-beats that I've felt from the start of the battle. It was as if I just endured a horror movie, its fantasy of disgusting and distorted 'monsters' building up the fears within you.

I then noticed that there was a rock that was left off from the remains of the corpse, as it caught my eye with its flamboyant features. Standing up, I decided to trudge to it, my bloody cut holding my pace back, and took a hold of the rock, which turned out to be a crystal. Its colors were consist of red-and-silver highlights, but beyond that point, there was a smaller diamond-like crystal embedded in a silver outline within this crystal, its shade of blue making it more visible for the human eye.

Pondering for a second, I then remembered that I'm still in the 'bathroom', as I had said in class. My eyes quickly locked onto the wristwatch that I got from Negi yesterday, revealing it to be fifteen minutes from the time I had said that.

_C-Crap… they must've been thinking weird thoughts._

"Abeat." The knives then turned back into the card, as I put that item into its previous location. I then turned around and grabbed my daggers, placing them back into their places and faced the double doors before hastily running back to 2-A, trying to make quiet-yet-quick footsteps in the hallways. In the process, I had also hid the crystal in my pocket.

* * *

Author's Notes (12/21/09): Sorry that this was a small delay, I was actually dragged out yesterday until around midnight (for outdoor meals and visiting a relative [man, my family just loves to talk from day to night =-=]). But anyways, I decided to throw in the first enemy battle xP hoho! -dies for a second- Um… what else should I say? Oh yes! Don't forget to review about anything that bothers or intrigues you, and have another early 'Merry Christmas!' from me. R&R!

Edited (12/21/09): Got rid of some repetition, add on some tension, and some new vocab words I just learned ^^;;

Edited (12/22/09): Just found a small error of 'Your' than 'You're' so I fixed that up ;D

Edited (12/23/09): Edited 'adeat' into 'abeat' for storage (totally forgot bout this ^^;;) Thanks second-stooge! ;D


	12. Test

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've given NxS fans the desire they deserve *w*b (meh, I'm running out of ideas lol)

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Love this chapter! Does not get old this story, every chapter is just the beginning! "Have a merry christmas!" Me, Negi, Setsuna. "HEY!? WHAT ABOUT ME!?" Asuna. nobody likes you!" _ROFL! Though Asuna is not a person I hate… that msg is pfff -continues laughing- xD And yes, I'm glad that the story's still interesting ;D makes me feel proud that my work has paid off ;3 Merry Belated Christmas!

Tsukanda – _"Oh first fight scene! You did a good job with it. Considering that Setsuna didn't have Yuunagi with her, the fight was short but sweet. :] I look forward to more fights. Hmm, I'm also quite intrigued in how Setsuna is going to explain the blood to the class? xD Early Merry Christmas to you too! Keep writing. :]" _;D aside from the battle with Eva, yep ^w^ u can consider that ch as a 'first fight' ;] Though the battle was not that long (considering that I'm not rly gd at fighting scenes ^^;;), I still try my best to make it in a sense where you can picture it easily (like a simpler way) without adding excessive detailing (for me, whenever I go into those types of scenes, I just had to skip them due to its power of details . uwahhh….). Anyways, dun worry ;p the blood will be explained… in a certain way ^^b lol And a 'Merry Belated Christmas!' to you ;]

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"Ninety eight…" I rest myself on the ground as I brushed off the excessive sweat that was on my forehead with a wet cloth, in which I borrowed from the bathroom at Evangeline's house.

"Ninety nine…" Looking toward the one that uttered those words, it revealed to be Negi doing his push ups while Evangeline is sitting on him, seemingly enjoying his miserable training. His limbs slowly closed the distance between his previous position and the ground, as his body shook in tiredness. His expression looked like he was urged to give up, but his will didn't. I smiled in his confidence and resistance.

"Hey! You're going too slow!" Evangeline complained, as she punched Negi's head. "Pick up the pace or else I'll suck your blood dry!"

With that, the slow movements that were previously emitted turned into ones that are going at about eighty miles per hour, his speed immediately rejuvenated from her message. "One hundred ten! One hundred eleven! One hundred twelve!"

While this was going on, Evangeline adjusted her eyes to me, her stare not provoking but inquisitive. "So, you were talking about?"

"A-Ah," I felt blank for a second before I regained the words that needed to be outputted.

"When I saw the 'shadow', there was some odd vibe that drew me closer to it. I decided to check it out and it turned into a battle." I looked down, casting my eyes to help picture the scene of the brutal-yet-short situation. Then I readjusted my eyes back up, ready to add in more words.

"After the fight, I found this crystal…" Quick but not rushed, I grabbed the item that was found with the demon's remains from my pocket, its three-by-one inch size fitting itself into my palms. I then extended my hand out with it, making it so that it's easier to examine for the blonde vampire.

"Hmm, this looks like a sealed up necklace part. It'll need its other parts in order to fully assemble and break out of that glass." She said as her hand touched the crystal, moving it at different angles to get a good eye of what it is, smiling in satisfaction of her curiosity thirst.

"But to think that you used the 'bathroom' excuse and coming back with a bloody shin, that's a good way of saying 'Oh, I scraped myself while I was walking to the restroom'" She erupted in laughter for a moment, seemingly ignoring Negi's presence as this only build up more weight for him to bear. I couldn't help but feel a tad bit of embarrassment and anger, my eyes diverted away to not witness Evangeline's face. _She just went into a whole 'nother topic… just to humiliate me by gaining happiness from other people's misery… sigh…_

Just a few seconds later, she finally regained herself, in which she turned to me with a content expression.

All of a sudden, a jolt of alert caved into my system, its priority of being noticed blasting into the higher levels. I felt slightly shock for a second, frozen into place and staring into space, as the aura of our surroundings is not the type that should be enjoyed in.

_The chi here… is different. I could sense something that's not normal._

I quickly stood up, turning to the trail of uneasiness, my body shivering even more when I looked towards the forest at the western direction. It was as if I was staring into Hell from Earth, its flames and subordinates threatening and haunting my very soul. I couldn't help but slowly back away, feeling numbed as I had done this.

"Hmph, they're here." Evangeline interrupted the small moment of silence as she etched out a smirking-yet-mocking smile, not even a slight bit as threatened as I was. "Since you've handled them before, do it again…" She paused just a second before continuing.

"In front of me, that is."

I turned to her, her eyes telling me that this is yet another one of her 'tests' to accomplish. Pushing my view back to the previous location, I narrowed my eyes this time, trying to trace down the form of a demon's.

_The chi seems a bit foggy in here… perhaps they came in more numbers?_

"E-Evangeline…" Negi stuttered out, sounding out of breath by the minute before continuing. "Should I-I als-so be handling t-this?"

With a thud from her elbow onto his back, his body wavered down, still vibrating like crazy. "You still have your task. Do a thousand!"

"Y-Yes!" He responded back to our trainer, confidence shining back into his expression as he resumed his torturous training.

I, on the other hand, was still locked in my spot, my view widening its range as I track down every single drop of chi in the area. Finally founding three forms, I took the sword that was seemingly stuck in the ground earlier from my previous training. Pulling it out successfully, I then paced myself as I walked a couple more steps forward to the direction of the three demons.

It was then that I reached the nearby bush that they became aware of me, their footsteps becoming audible as they passed to different directions, trying to corner me. I did not mind their strategy, as I decided to stick my free hand into my pocket, taking out my pactio card.

_Better to be safe than sorry._

"Adeat!" I called out, the card turning into the same knives on cue. Since they're only controlled through my mind, I placed both of my hands onto my sword, 'Yunagi', as I chose my first target that was the closest.

Charging carefully through the forest, I quickly climbed onto one of the trees before reaching my enemy, finding out that it was the same one as I fought this morning.

Feeling confident, I directed my blades to it, knowing that this type has that weak point. However, as this was happening, he had already pulled out two maces from thin air, blocking these attacks with lightning speed. I was astounded by this, finally understanding that different demons have different attributes. Since this was a type that depends more on speed than power, as the balance has shown, I decided to fight head on, driving my body from the tree to the air.

Pulling out my wings, which enable me to dodge more easily, I swung my yunagi at the demon as he was still in the process of knocking out my knives.

_The Essence of the Shinmei School…_

I could feel the spiral of chi wrapping itself around my sword and its bearer, its warm yet burning sensation taking control of what comes next.

"Rock Slicer!" Performing the technique, I noticed that the demon had crossed his maces together as the blow had gone through him, making both of his weapons disappear into dust. Before he could pull out anymore of his offensives, like the ones that were from air, I used this moment to fly right behind him, sticking my sword right in his back. It felt more tiresome due to the excessive amount of chi I released earlier, the loss of its power weighing down my consciousness.

However, as I patiently waited for the moment of triumph, his arm swung right at me, knocking me in an off-guarded situation. Since my yunagi was still stuck in that area, I did not retrieve my weapon in time for my landing.

_Crap, I overlooked these demons. They must've had different weak points._

Bringing back the knives that were on the ground from the defensive blocks that my enemy had done to my offensive mode of the weapons, I launched them in different directions to the enemy at different moments. At this very minute, as I had pointed out with the difference in time, I had tried using eight knives to be thrown at the demon in an intersecting formation; they were thrown in an x-y coordinate graph.

In response, he snuck his hand into his carved character of his armor, slowly going through it like osmosis. Ignoring the attacks that I've made, he seemed to be pulling something out of himself, as if he was desperately trying to win at tug-o-war with his body. Finally pulling it out, it revealed to be a smaller form of himself, as this demon was slowly getting bigger as time passes.

_W-What's this?_

I ground my teeth at the sight, noticing that this 'smaller demon' would be considered the real demon. And just like I suspected, he has the black hole behind him, as his form finally became as big as it usually would be in its sheltered form. The remains of the 'shell' slowly burned away, dropping my sword that was previously stuck in his back.

Using this opportunity, I swiftly raise my blades and hurl them in the same formation, except all at the same time. Zoning past his body with my flight abilities, I then grabbed my yunagi from the ground, as I hurl myself to his distracted situation. I plunged my sword at the black hole, piercing him as white cracks consumed his figure.

Unfortunately, at the same time, pain took its turn towards me with a scarring damage on my right knee, nailing me while I claimed my first victory. Like lightning, I bolted out of my position as the demon in front of me burned like it usually would, leaving a different color crystal this time. Looking back at the area where the pain targeted at, in which I had let my hands move away from its clinging position, I noticed that it was a cut, probably from an arrow that was unleashed from a bow.

_Crap, I'm getting too careless. _

Going back to the remains of the deceased, I grabbed the crystal, placing it back into my skirt pocket as it was a safer place than the other ones. I then looked towards the sky, my senses kicking at the direction.

Tracing the chi once again, I noticed that the other demons were in the air, their agile-looking figures warning me that they're planning something, and assuming that I took the bait. _That's where the 'arrow' came from._

I flew upwards, going through the trees and their children, and marking my destination to be a feet higher than the average height of these nature forms. This resulted in a sudden two-range attack from the other two demons, their eyes never going away from an opportunity. I darted away from my previous location, both of their arrows meeting with a small knife-piercing sound from the impact.

I then adjusted my eyes to them, in which they are revealed to be crows of lower rank, or lower age if that's more suitable.

_ They're really underestimating me here, aren't they?_

I tried examining them, soaring around their compact figures as I threw in a couple knives to distract them from coming closer. They responded with a change of weaponry, switching from bow 'n arrow to large swords, blocking yet fighting against my own weapons. I then noticed that there wasn't a black hole in their back, as I suspect that it'll either be at another location, or for the fact that its real form is hiding under its shell.

_How in living heck am I suppost to drag its true form out without them doing the same by will? –Then again, it might be just at another spot. I have to concentrate…_

Clenching my fists on my sword's handle to get a hold of myself, I decided to use yet another technique, raising my weapon in belligerent mode as I signaled more of my energy in this one blow.

"Wind cutter!" I swung my yunagi vertically, bringing large amounts of air to go along with the flow, weighing down my grip. Thinking optimistically, on the other end, I had narrowed the distance between us, which makes my attack more effective.

One of them, as this demon was more nearer than the other, jumped at my offensive approach, trying to handle both my knives and my sword technique with its own weapons. He knocked down some of my range attacks and even received my blast, in which I noticed that he was shedding out the same white cracks, enveloping him until he burned up.

Flying towards him as he was turned to dust, I caught a hold of the crystal that came out from his form.

_So that's where the weak point is at! It's the front!_

Placing the crystal into my pocket, I glided towards the other opponent. He looked a bit stronger than the previous crow, holding a smirk when he caught my stare.

"Looks like he was right…" He muttered out, making me wonder what he was directing his message to, as he swayed away from my range weapons. I then noticed that my technique had only left an earthquake-like fissure on his armor.

"You've grown stronger." After adding his words, he accelerated towards me, surprising me with his sudden increase of speed. He changed his weapons into the same brand sword I carried, as he swung it to counterattack my previous foray

In reflex, I block his attack, his strength somewhat higher than of my previous opponents. I could tell that there's the same black hole embedded in his chest, knowing that he's desperate to protect it. At the same time, he raised his free hand, emitting a whitish glow that transformed into the same sword on his other hand. He swung his other sword towards me.

Feeling a wave of panic, I hastily backed away from our sword lock, making him lunge forward as he no longer has anyone to hold his weight. I then took his opportunity to backfire, in which he had barely any time to counterattack.

_Magnificent sword…_

I swung my sword upward, as I cross it diagonally to my opponent.

"Chaos of a hundred flowers!" I called out as the attack had gone through his weapons, breaking away his armor and penetrating his 'weak point'. This also resulted in a massive loss of energy, since I really did put out my all in this shot, making my body weak and numbed in the time being.

White cracks invaded his body, burning him slowly away as I assume that harder enemies take longer to be fully withered away.

"Hmph," He mumbled out, even though he is still in the process of a full out ignition of his body. His red pupils then set themselves onto me, showing that they've needed to output some 'last words'.

"Your father is among your enemies. You should take this time to train further before facing him. He will not be showing any mercy in your presence." Holding his head low, the cracks finally absorb his entire body, replacing him with dust.

I felt like I was halted in my location for a second, my brain slowly processing this information as it became slightly unbearable before the sight of the crystal falling had motivated me to catch it. Using the last bits of my energy, I rushed through the wind that was blowing towards me, its pressure becoming my last enemy.

I then stretched my hand out towards the item as I feel myself going downer and downer to the horizon, not noticing that my wings had given up on me. My vision immediately blurred after this, as the only thing I could see left is my hand grasping the crystal's form and the image of someone's hand reaching out towards me.

"S-Setsuna!"

* * *

Author's Notes (12/27/09): Woah, I rly did tried my best in these fights (^^;;; ummm, how did I do?). Sorry for the lack of fast-updates (btw if u didn't know I usually have chapters up in like 3 days after the previous release when it comes to breaks), I've been working on both this and ch15 of my second fiction, 'Survivors', since I wanted to bring the heavy burden of not updating in months to a close (btw that chapter is the last one ^^b). Alright, let's get to the gd part! \*w*/ finally threw in some serious battling in this chapter (mmhmm, I think I made Setsuna a tad bit weaker now that she faint at the end .;; and I apologize if you do see it that way D;), and of course, since this is NxS, I also threw in Negi flying towards Setsuna as she fell ^^b (nice to bring in these gd o' moments when you get the chance). Ummm, what else to say… +_+`… –oh yes! Please review if you got anything bothering you or intriguing you or just jump in to say 'hi' ;D (Please note that I take critics seriously ^^;; [Galerians knows what I'm talking about ;D -bumps elbow onto him-] so suggestions/errors/etc are taken into higher priorities when I use my time to improve my fiction ;] [and that just shows that I rly do care ;DD ..in a way.. that is ^^;;]). R&R! ;o

Edited (12/28/09): Just edited some of the names of the attacks to be better suited ^^


	13. Finding out the Reason

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've had Setsuna as Negi's first pactio! ;D

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Intresting...We all have will to fight. Not bad for a fighting chapter, expecting lots of action from you! As I said and hope this every chapter. Great work!" _^^;; I was actually trying to practice and stretch out the length of the fighting, so I'm glad to receive a good grade from you ^w^ Hmmm, maybe I should change the genre to Romance/Action… your opinion?

Tsukanda – _"Oh more fighting! Well I guess practice helps you improve right? xD I don't think you should be afraid to be detailed during fight scenes though, as long as you know when to use the heavy detail. :] Lol I agree, you made Setsuna seem a tad too weak with the fainting bit. I don't really see what she would be fainting from...a couple attacks wouldn't knock her out. xP Other than that little part that urks me a little, I'm still enjoying this story :] Keep up the good work!"_ Yep, you nailed the spot on my purpose for making the chapter a 'fight them all' one ^w^ As for the detailing, I'll just try my best to put in as much details that'll be specifically reasonable to put in (it'll be nice and simple, but I'll try to add in more details and practice more ;D) And for the weakness, I'll be adding something in ch13 to explain for the sudden loss of energy ;p

* * *

**Sticky Note: This is now switched back into Negi's point of view.**

* * *

"Hmph, that demon girl really took a blow this time. I'll let this slide for today." The sound of Evangeline's voice interrupted the silence of the room. I remained in my sitting posture as I had ignored her comments, grabbing the cloth from the bowl of ice-cold water and placing it on Setsuna's forehead. Her skin looks a bit pale, yet when I touched it, it was burning hot, as her expression remained emotionless. I then slid my hand back down, my eyes cast to the ground and at its wooden texture.

_**-FB-**_

_"One thousand!" I finally called out, which brought a large amount of relief in my system as if I had just got out of jail for the first time in my life. My muscles finally gave up on me, as my brain had ordered them to go into relaxation mode, dropping my body to the ground with a thud. This also caused me to feel a slight wave of dizziness before a slap of pain intruded my head, invading my territory in that very second._

_"Too slow! Even the demon girl can be faster than this!" I slowly turned up, which felt extremely tiring to do so, to face Evangeline as she held an irritated expression. I didn't notice that she was sitting on me until she finally pushed herself off of my back, my realization to why it was 'too slow' compared to the times where she wasn't weighing me down._

_"S-Sorry…" I muttered out, feeling out of breath as I outputted this. At the same time, it felt refreshing to be lying down on the ground, its coldness streaming against my hot temperature._

_"By the way…" She spoke out, making me adjust my view from the rejuvenating ground to the blonde vampire. Pointing at the sky, she continued her words. "You should probably retrieve her. It looks like she's falling."_

_I looked at the destination where she was directing at earlier, and widened my eyes when I noticed that Setsuna was seemingly flying yet descending at the same time. Following the sight, I immediately bolted myself up, completely revitalize, and grabbed my staff that was leaning against the fence. Jumping through the small stairs that were laid out in front of Evangeline's house, I then focused my magic on my staff, turning it into a mobile._

_Jumping onto it, I maneuver myself to be closer to the situation that I just witnessed, traveling at about sixty miles per hour as I done this. I then noticed that she seemed to be grabbing onto something, her arm outstretched as she had successfully taken the item. It was then followed with her wings going back to their places, then letting the gravity take its turn as I guessed that she has fainted._

_My heart pounded against my chest as all of this was happening right before me, the event forcing me a terrible burden to carry. I extended my arm out to hers, hoping to catch her before she gets out of my range, as I felt myself trying to catch my breath from the sudden actions that I've just committed, the stress of the training that I had earlier slowing down my pace._

_"S-Setsuna!" I shouted, her eyes slowly closing as she direct her eyes to me before they were fully shut. There was a shade of purple that glittered in her hands, which is probably the item that she was desperately trying to catch._

_Successfully catching up to her, I opened my arms to break her fall, the gravitational force weighing me down just a bit. _

_**She seems light. **__I was surprised by the results of her landing, as I then traveled back to my previous location, the ongoing stream of wind cooling down the body heat that was emitted from my training._

**And sexy.**

_**W-W-What?! T-T-Th-Thi-This…**_

_I quickly shook off my thoughts, feeling additional surges of heat beaming into my face, its temperature claiming my territory, as I placed my view on Setsuna. However, aside from her sleeping features, she seemed to be in pain, as my ears were unexpectedly becoming aware of the burning sounds that were scarred on an area where there was a cut, which is on her right knee._

_**-FB-End-**_

"Hey, boya!" I felt myself sucked back into reality, blinking my eyes back into its content form, as I turned around to Evangeline, her angering expression telling me that I've been 'daydreaming' lately. Noticing my stare, she then adjusted her head slightly away from me, sighing for my arrival in validity. "Jeez, it takes you so long just to notice that you're holding her hand."

_E-Eh?!_

I quickly adjusted my eyes so that they're facing my hands, in which I noticed that my right hand was wrapped around Setsuna's left, before bolting out of our position, my heart thumping like crazy as I had done this. I then shifted my view to her eyes, relieved that they were still closed and oblivious to what's currently going on, which calms down my temperature level.

Hearing Evangeline smirk in the background, I then felt slightly embarrassed by her sight of my actions, my face targeting away from hers and Setsuna's figure. As her laughter slowly steadied down through seconds, it was her tone that captured my level of alert.

"She's losing her energy faster than I thought." Quickly charging my view to hers, I noticed that she was carrying a book, flipping through its pages as she was concentrated on the text.

"W-What?" I stuttered out, scared of what's going on, as I felt a slight wave of pain in my system like a gun shooting a board.

"Those demons are not normal; they don't usually bump into an alternate dimension where they'll only see mages and pactios, not regular humans." She said, as she traced through the words in the book, the cover reading 'Demons and their level of power'.

"They're in an alternate dimension?" I asked, suddenly becoming curious to what's in the book.

Skipping through the pages, seemingly ignoring me for a second, her eyes had revealed that she was surprised at a page's words. I slowly trudged my body over to her, looking at the same page she was focused on.

It read _'In some cases, demons that are fueled by a sorcerer/mage/etc can have even higher levels of power. This can also include elemental, absorb, and other special abilities. Only one of the highest levels of these magic users can grant all of its demons different powers._

_Example 1: A mage that fights with mana attacks a demon. The demon absorbs it. This is because the magic user blessed the demon with this ability, and when the demon dies off, that power that is absorb goes to the magic user._

_Example 2: A warrior that fights with chi attacks a demon. This demon dodged it and fights back, making a seemingly small amount of damage (like a cut or a bruise). However, with time, the warrior starts feeling tired or lacks a minimum count of chi. This is because the magic user blessed the demon with the poison element. When the demon dies, the poison will remain in effect for about 12 hours unless the victim runs out of chi.'_

I felt frozen in place as I read these words, knowing that 'Example 2' is probably the situation that we're currently in, as many other 'what if' questions came into my mind regarding 'Example 1', haunting me with its horrible outcomes.

It was just felt painful.

Grounding my teeth to force myself into motion mode, I felt myself backing away before I lost my balance and hitting the ground with a thud, the numbness that I unconsciously acquired blocking me out of the reality's sense of touch. At the same time, vibration took its turn within my system, making me feel panic even though it's just a small type of thing to worry about.

Suddenly, I felt myself getting hit in the head with some kind of equipment, its surge of pain killing the numbness, as I landed with my head on the ground. I tried looking up from my position, as my face was previously looking towards the wooden texture of the ground, and noticed that there was a book off in the distance. It was somewhat bulging out pages even though it was place to the side, in which I knew that in this position, the book had been thrown at me.

_So I guess I got hit with this?_

"Don't eavesdrop on people's books!" Evangeline's voice came out in the corner, which scared me for a bit considering that her previous expression differed from the tone just now. Slowly standing up, I then direct my view to her as I scratched my head by habit.

"Sorry, I guess I got a bit curious." I apologized, slightly bowing to show my respect.

"Hmph," She diverted her eyes away from me. "Well, just don't do that again, or else it'll be another thousand push ups for you."

This struck me like a lightning bolt attacking a town, its speed showing me how fast one's reflexes can be, as fear burrowed itself in my expression. _N-No… if I have to do that again…_

"Uhn…" A groan interrupted the atmosphere as I place my view to it, noticing that it was Setsuna adjusting her position before her vision was on. She looked a bit dazzled for the while, which looked insanely cute by the way she was expressing her tiredness.

_Crap… I didn't say –n-nevermind…_

_**Hehe, you're starting to admit yourself, boy.**_

Brushing away the thoughts, I then noticed that the distance between us was shorter than usual, probably by my unconscious movements.

"N-Negi?" She muttered out, her tone both enveloped in exhaustion and confusion of the matter while her eyes were halfway and barely open. I felt a bit flustered by the way she called me out, flowing in streams of heat within my body once again as if I was suddenly thrown into a volcano.

"Y-Yes…?" Though my voice was a bit off-track, as I was mesmerized for the moment, I still managed to creak out what I wanted to say. However, another voice already bumped in the second I had mines on.

"You shouldn't move or talk or else the condition will worsen. Your only option is to sleep." The sound of Chachamaru's voice finally came into the room, her monotone giving her higher reputation of a 'teacher giving a lecture', as my attention had shifted to her figure. Her hands had held on the same book that I was 'eavesdropping' on earlier, the surface of the text facing to her eyes. I then turn to face the one she was directing her words to, as this is a higher priority.

After receiving those instructions, Setsuna gently nodded to acknowledge those facts and went back into her previous position, pushing her body to the side to get a more comfortable position before the sound of her breathing was the only thing left.

"In the meantime, shall I make dinner?" Chachamaru spoke out, as the fact that she is making 'dinner' pinpointed my mind to the question: 'what is the time?'

I answered it by looking throughout the room, its wooden furniture and toys decorating the surroundings, before I managed to find the maple clock that was off to the right wall.

It read 5:30 PM.

"Sure, but make sure to make enough for the three of us." Evangeline replied back, raising three fingers to match up with her words.

"Yes, master." Chachamaru's figure faded through the hallway after she took her last bow, which intrigued me at how she always calls 'Evangeline' a 'master'. But, brushing it aside as it was not a relevant topic, I continued looking over to Setsuna as her sleeping features fueled my happiness.

_Crap I didn't say –Okay forget that…_

_**You know, you should probably stop saying that. It's getting pretty annoying that you're thinking that when you already admit it.**_

I then heard a knock from the front door, as I quickly shift my eyes to it, knowing that it was only a mere three meters away. A sigh was added from Evangeline as she stood up, dragging herself to the destination of the sound. I then readjusted my position so that I would get a view of the visitor, my body leaning towards the side.

Opening the door, I recognized the person, which had long black hair and a tanned skin, to be on the list of students that I have not interacted with, yet. I tried tapping into the memory of my attendance sheet, as I concentrate on remembering the student's name.

_–Oh yeah, her first name was 'Mana'._

"Negi." Evangeline spoke out towards me, her eyes telling me that she expects me to go to her location. Standing up, I paced myself to the door, making sure my footsteps won't be too loud or else it'll be a disturbance to Setsuna, as I passed by Evangeline, in which she seemed to be going the opposite direction. "She wants to see you."

Finally getting to the doorway, I noticed that Mana had held a long rifle gun, which struck me with fear for the moment, before she handed me a piece of paper.

"This is for you from the principal." She spoke out, sounding a bit like Chachamaru, as I accepted the paper. I unfolded it, which turned out to be yet another small message like the time where I found an envelope on the day of my first class.

I adjusted my glasses just a bit, knowing that they're sliding down, before reading it, skimming down the trail of information.

It read _'I forgot to tell you this, but there are demons out there that have breached into the campus. They each have unique abilities, so watch out if they ever attack you; they might even carry poison. Also, they are only seen by those who have enough magic/chi to detect their presence (an example would be you or Setsuna). Lastly, I have hired this student, which I have sent to give you this message, to help eliminate demons with you. It'll be your decision if you want to live with this person or have scheduled meetings.'_

"Hehe, big bro looks surprised." I quickly looked up to find Chamo holding onto Mana's shoulder, in which she didn't seem to mind his presence. He held yet another mischievous expression with wise-man features, stroking his invisible beard like it's the last thing on Earth.

"C-Chamo?!" I wondered how he was also assigned in part of the principal's support along with Mana, as my voice cried out in both curiosity and confusion.

"Well of course I'll be here." Chamo commented, standing up while having both of his hands on his hips, making him look like he's raising his body in proud.

"In truth, he just sneaked up from his own mission and hid himself inside one of my bigger guns." Mana stated out, killing the atmosphere of Chamo as he felt frozen for the moment, his expression in shock.

* * *

Author's Notes (1/3/09): Phew, this break is makin me as lazy as a (insert synonym of a big fat lazy guy) and I apologize for that x.x;; Though this sounds like a lame excuse (depending on your P0V), I actually got addicted to an online game not that long ago, and it's been killing my time lately T^T (if you're interested in what game I'm playing, review/pm ;o and no, it's not WoW). Anyways, this looks like a very abrupt pause for an A/N, but I decided to try out a humorous (well… not that humorous…) ending ;o Let me know whether you like it or not in your review ;D Other than that, I also threw in Mana (I've been seein a load of NxM fans lately ^^;; so I guess I should introduce her into the story as one of the first ones to interact with the main cast ;D) to get things moving more. And as always, tell me if you have anything botherin you, intriguing you, or just drop in a compliment ;D R&R!


	14. Choosing the path

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've had loads of goodies to all Negima fans (and new fans) for free!

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Nice chapter! I can't wait to see what happens next! I thought about what you said, I don't think you should change it. Because if you have Romance/Action people WILL expect lots of action to show. While Drama is simple and we know theres a twist or plot. But thats how I see things, your choice my friend! ^^b"_ That's true right there (bout the genre) 0-0 -feels dumb for the moment- xD But thanks to that evidence, I will keep this a Romance/Drama ;p

Tsukanda – _"Ah, interesting. Lol even more interesting that Setsuna is just going to sleep this off xD I look forward to seeing how Mana is going to influence things from now on; she's always a great supporting character, if not main. Chamo, I'm not too delighted about, but that's just my preference. ;D Maybe the way you incorporate him into your story will change my opinion." _xD Well, I'm taking this opportunity to let Negi interact with other characters, in which this condition (of the demon's different styles/attributes and effects in attacks) will support this ^^b As for Mana, just note out if I ever get OOC with her (I'm also not that accustom to her, but I'll try my best ^^;;). And for Chamo, I'll try to get him a good role if I could think up of one ~.~;; …and if not… o-o… I'll toss him outta the window? D; (not that I hate him, that is)

* * *

It was a very awkward atmosphere in this oblivious silence, its uncomfortable yet uncontrollable vibe scrolling through the oxygen as if a virus had taken over a cell and screwed up its functions to the point where the cell doesn't even look like a cell anymore; it's completely deformed. In fact, these were the type of situations that I had been going through ever since the start of the training and the whole 'assign' type of thing.

Not that I hate it, that is.

However, I'm wondering just how things are going to work out, and how weird my life would get, if not any weirder than this. But knowing that there's still a bunch of years ahead of me, this will probably be considered a 'minor' impact in my life.

"Negi." I felt dragged into focus, my eyes suddenly realizing the color of the kotatsu in front of me, as I adjust my view to the one who suddenly brought me back into reality.

Noticing that it was Evangeline that was calling me earlier, I could tell that her eyes held a need for a task, an assignment, or even worst: training.

_**-FB-**_

"_Um… what should I say…" I was at loss for words, unable to process what I wanted to say as it was tangled with the part of what I didn't want to say; it was difficult to extricate the situation. My hand was still holding onto the piece of paper, as I could feel atoms of sweat bleeding on it like a sudden surge of acid tapping onto the surface._

"_It's okay," Mana interrupted me, showing that she acknowledged what she assumed to be what I'm thinking, and slightly turn her body to the opposite direction. Her foot was standing on last stair while the latter was on the actual ground that was tattered with dirt, as it expressed her way of readying herself to leave the area. "I'll come to your dorm tomorrow afternoon. That way, you'll be able to have some time to think this over."_

_She then grabbed Chamo, who was surprised at what she had done, and threw him at me, his screams of random words uttering out in confusion. Although it was unexpected, I had positioned my hands in time for the catch, as I held an inquisitive expression for her to notice._

_"You can do what you want with him." She muttered out, not showing a single amount of care about the little guy, as she slowly edged out of the area, her back showing that she was leaving._

_"Wait." Right when she was a inches away from the stairs, a voice called out, stopping her in her tracks, as she moved her head towards the source. This tone belonged to no one other than Evangeline, as I slightly jumped from the realization of her sudden appearance besides me. Her hand then reached out and aimed the top of my head, making me feel a heavy amount of pressure on impact._

"_I'm this guy's master. If he doesn't want to make use of you, then I'll be taking over his place for today." In response to her words, I widened my eyes in bewilderment like a person that was thrown into a dangerous Hell-hole for no reason._

_"W-Wha-" My sentence was cut off when Evangeline finished her message._

_"Besides, it'll probably be beneficial to him." She added, following with a quiet-yet-audible smirk, which doesn't sound good in comparison with my possible fate, as hinted from just now._

_Mana, on the other hand, look a bit emotionless and blank for the moment, in which I'm assuming that she's thinking on the offer, before she finally came up with her response._

_"Does Negi approve of this?" She asked, her eyes inquiring me for an answer._

_**No, I do not want to endure a Hell-hole with you and your guns; I would much rather have you fighting with me than against me.**_

_This brought up an air filled with tension, as Evangeline emitted the most pressure on the situation. Her expression, not facing Mana's, says 'I will seriously kill you if you don't say yes. And I mean it.' I could just feel a pound filled with fear engraving itself within my system, as I tried my best not to express that emotion in front of Mana since she'll probably suspect something._

_The grip she had, which changed from my head to my shoulder, tightened ten-fold, making me feel uneasy about my upcoming response. This only increases the weight of fear that I'm carrying, encouraging me to not defy the desires of the 'master'. As seconds passed, I knew that this was the limit to my small moment of thought._

_"Y-Yes." I tried allying my expression with my words, etching out a forced smile on my lips, before the grasp loosen up and was replaced with a pat-on-the-head. Evangeline's expression, which was previously haunting, transformed into a more cheerful yet sly one. I felt both relief and regret at what I've said._

_"But first, did you eat yet?" She questioned Mana, seemingly interested in the topic of hunger as it is a necessity for her favorite activity of training-me-to-death to be efficient._

_"No."_

_**-FB-End-**_

She puts her bowl down, which used to be filled with ramen, and laid out her chopsticks on the napkin. Along the lines of her actions, she had also emanated a sigh of satisfaction, taking the time to release the air as if she's trying to output stress. Her eyes then targeted mine, as I jumped at the possible cause of doing so.

"It's time." She spoke, even though she was the last to finish what she needed to finish.

Not that I want to mention that and receive punishment.

I shivered at her words, as I pushed myself away from the warmth under the table, entering the mount of coldness emitted from the mixture of nature and human respiration. But, still keeping my emotion unmoved as it was staying away from showing my fear, I nodded in response, agreeing like a robot that's obeying its master's orders.

Evangeline smiled and turned to Mana, whom expression has been almost the same as the first time we had interacted, before she climbed out of the kotatsu and reached for her guns that were against the wall.

At the same time, the sound of the door sliding came in, revealing Chachamaru, as she grabbed the dishes and bowls that were left from the meal that we just ate.

"Master, the 'resort' is now ready for use." She muttered out as she stacked the plates like a connoisseur of waitressing a table. This aroused my inquisitive side, as I pondered on what sort of 'resort' we'll be training through.

_I just hope it's not something that looks like Hell._

"I see." As the last one to stand up –and being the 'last' one again–, Evangeline then proceed to the door, her physical movements of her hand asking for our presence to follow hers. I caught that almost immediately, as Mana and I, with the exception of Chamo since he was kicked out by Evangeline's irritation, traveled along with her. I passed by Chachamaru as I respected her 'job'.

_Then again, if I helped Chamo, Evangeline would also kick me out –Oh crap I should've done that! –Wait no… then what about Setsuna?_

The image of Setsuna's sleeping face came into my mind, as I felt my cheeks flustering before shaking all thoughts off.

* * *

"Nice, isn't it?" The blonde vampire questioned, as her hands were on her hips, widening her grin to the sight. I, on the other hand, was astonished by this view, as it was the sort of thing that I've never seen.

There was a sandy beach off to the left, the waves not wild nor calm, as their watery tongues stretch out a couple of feet on the sand then receding a couple of feet back into its source. It felt soothing when I heard its rhyme, the cycling patterns never ceasing to amaze me any more like the vibrations emitted from a violin that tame monsters. I could feel small droplets of water steam on my face, giving me a nice relief of my previous temperature, which was from the kotatsu.

It was the perfect place to doze off and relax.

"Y-Yes." Slightly stuttering out my response, which was mostly enveloped by my amazement of the 'resort', I weakly nodded to show her my physical agreement.

"Hmph, I knew you would say that." She commented, her eyes hinting out that there was one more thing about it, and it's probably something that'll be even more horrible than the awesomeness of the place. "In fact, this is the place where we'll start the 'real' training of Hell."

_I take back what I said about this place; it is Hell._

I felt drained when I heard her words like a new paint brush soaking up the water from the wet painting, making it look either better or worst. I had also widened my eyes, directing my pupils of fear to Evangeline, before she shot back with what I would consider a sinister grin.

"So, when do we start?" The monotone voice of Mana's came out behind me, as I slightly turn my head to her, trying to shake away from the state of fear as I had done this.

Her expression was nearly the same, except for the fact that her eyes were directed to her hands, which was loading up her guns, especially her big ones that have who-knows-what shooting speed, with clips –clips that I have no idea where they came from or where they were stored. All in all, I could only feel a large increase in my uneasiness in this sight.

"After Negi chooses his combat style." Evangeline replied back, giving me more curiosity-filled thoughts, as she pulled out three cards from who-knows-where. These cards look like mere ordinary poker ones in my view, which only puzzled me further in the situation.

"Here." She threw them at me skillfully like a ninja throwing stars precisely while keeping up its speed. This immediately activated my reflexes, as I had caught them the way that you catch a frisbee: you open your palm and close it. Thankful that I had not gotten any injuries –so far, that is–, I then adjust my eyes to the cards, which were all still like poker cards, before turning them over.

It revealed to be pictures: one that was titled 'Wizard', which held a drawing of a staff, the second as 'Magic Fighter', which held a drawing of a fist, and the last as 'Manipulator', which held a drawing of a hand with glowing magic surrounding it.

"Let me give a broad summary of each path." Evangeline spoke out, my attention adjusting to hers on cue as if I was dependent on her information.

"The first card, as you see as 'Wizard', is where you perform stronger spells than you would usually would, but you would have to be dependent on your pactio to protect you from any physical harm." She started out, her definition fitting to the words she outputted, as I pictured myself with my father's staff, chanting out spells while Setsuna took care of the demons.

_Hmm, not bad. But it'll be worst if she falls into __**that**__ type of condition again._

"The second one, titled 'Magic Fighter', is where you focus more on close combat and only use spells to speed your attacks. However, this requires a huge amount of training from a fighter, namely your partner. On the other hand, with this style, you can fight with demon-girl." She continued, her message going a bit monotone as the seconds passed, hearing the sound of the waves between her pauses. This style, as she had just explained, intrigued me a bit, as I try comparing the pros and the cons.

_This is a bit better than the 'Wizard' and for the fact that I receive more training from Setsuna than Evangeline, but then again, I wonder about the last one…_

"The third and final one, which is 'Manipulator', is where you can control and emit as much magic as your capacity shows and use it as a weapon. Examples can include making yourself a magic sword or transferring magic into an object, which will make its damage tenfold once thrown. This, however, requires a load of training from both a fighter and a mage in order to stabilize the emissions of your mana, but on the other hand, this is probably the most powerful path to choose if you were to protect both yourself and the demon-girl efficiently." She caved out more information in this card than the other, especially when she added more emphasis on the last sentence. And because of this, I'm assuming that this is the style that she wanted me to choose, as I noticed that her eyes were beckoning my reach into this path like being pointed by a dagger.

_Isn't that the situation I'm enduring through ever since my graduation?_

"That's about all I could put out. I don't really want to deal with the specific details." Evangeline muttered out as she relaxed on the porch –the porch that was not that far away from us or the shore. Her expression had softened for the moment, or at least not serious, before it transformed into her occasionally used one: the smirk.

_Actually no, you said a lot of specific stuff for the third card, and I don't think you're going to notice that until I point that out._

"Well," She started out. "Do you want to experience all three of them to get the feel of each path?" Her question seemed to be forced, but I'm probably overlooking it.

_Hmm, I think it'll be quite reasonable to try out all three, but then again…_

"Or do you want to select one now?" Putting more soul into this question, I could tell that she wanted me to choose the second option, her tone emphasize on 'now'.

I felt a bit undecided in this situation, especially when there's the line that separates my desires and her desires. It was a rather chilling silence that follows the passing seconds, my brain fighting over the decisions like an endless boss battle as both sides are immortal. But time was drawing to the end of my time limit; otherwise it'll be considered a 'spaced out' situation.

"I'll choose the manipulator style." I spoke out, my tone a bit shaky yet clear at the same time. _This is probably the best choice possible for ensuring both mines and Setsuna's safety. Better yet, this is what Evangeline had inwardly wanted; I might get special treatment for doing this –wait no, she wouldn't be like that…_

Her smile stretched out, as she look more intrigued by my response, making me shiver at what type of treatment I'll be receiving. But, to cover my fears yet again, I responded with the same expression, smiling in determination.

"Boya," She started out, her smirking smile still the same.

Suddenly, I felt a jolt of pain, just noticing that Evangeline punched me in the face.

"Stop reading my mind like that!"

* * *

Author's Notes (1/31/09): I am terribly sorry for the delay. There were a bunch of technical difficulties when I used my sister's old laptop (this is the one with an average internet connection; my own pc has the worst internet connection), and there are times where I have to wait for a whole week for it to recover from its state (this is where I'll put my 5KB), and then it'll go back into its state again before I could upload it to a place where I can get it from another comp T^T (-sigh-, I should've just ask my sister for her flash drive). But aside from the technical stuffs (btw, my tech just came in and fixed it up like magic o-o yay), I also have been assign a big term project (we haven't done these for the first trimester [probably due to budget –well, we did do these projects last year… but that's last year –wait why am I talking about this?], which explains why my updates are quite fast during that time). Anyways, my updates are now shifted to 2~3 weeks, considering that the project will take up most of the second trimester (that's why it's a _big_ project), but I hope to get it in ASAP (and this time, not in my sister's laptop; I am NOT taking any more risks… lol). Other than that, let's get onto the good topic ;D Umm -feels blank- Oh yes! I decided to put in a pinch of OC typa stuff (though I'm trying my best to stay on canon (by canon I mean canon plot) without having to piss off canon (plot) lovers. Just tell me if anything's not cool, and I'll try fixing it up when I have the time. And… what else should I say… –R&R!

Edited (1/31/09): I skimmed through the paragraphs and killed some run-on sentences (wow... usually I don't have problems like this... bah oh well xP 'Every writer develops flaws'). Btw, I'm still thinking about Chamo's role x.x;; it's been a large hassle to think what sort of usefulness comes in him (for now, I'll keep him out of the picture D;).


	15. Break

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've made high quality animations of it (with tons of NxS! ;D)

Replies (to anonymous reviews):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"__Well, I hate to say this, but I didn't like this chapter, its not good as the last one. But It doesn't mean its 100% bad, i did like it a bit. Hope you come back with another chapter, real soon!" _Meh, I don't fault you; there weren't any NxS scenes, which explains why their relationship wasn't progressing in this chapter (or at least, not as much). I was actually heavily debating on whether I should push this chapter in or skip into the next chapter, but I ended up putting it in anyway xP (I mean, I'm trying my best to not cause any confusion along the lines like what I did in the other chapter w/ Eva and her book of demons). But yes, I hope that the chapter that I release now is more satisfying than the last ;D At least Negi got some good o' new power in his hands haha xD

* * *

_**-D-**_

_ I felt myself drifting to nowhere, the sight blackening in every moment and the sound showing no signs of life; nothing would have appeared and nothing would have disappeared; it was all one glob of nothingness. That experience was short-lived, as I feel a wave of force pushing me aside like the wind blowing off dust._

_ I hear footsteps approaching, the sound finally bringing my senses back to life as if the charger supplied me with a fresh set of voltage. I feel myself wondering more and more on who was responsible for the sound, as I caught sight of my own legs. Noticing their existence, I tried pushing them into a state of usefulness, their previous stance transforming into an up-and-down motion; I was running to the source._

_ As soon as the noise stopped, I too did the same and replaced my actions with a single patience-filled posture: standing. My eyes caught the person in front of me, the red orbs in his eyes showing off its mirror to me._

_ Although the eyes are the same as mines, it was the overall figure that made its impact on the comparison. This person held the same shade and style of hair, but his face looked more mature as well as his body mass. The only thing that knocked off the definition of mature was his smile, as if smirking or having fun with someone._

_ I felt as if this person was familiar, the features of his appearance related to the memories that I carried long ago. It was not that long that a wave of shock engraved itself in my system like a lightning striking a land._

_**…Father?**_

_**-D-End-**_

I felt a small vibration that aligned with the sound of something dropping, the crackling 'cling' noise hinting that it was something rocky or rough. Trying to get a sense of my surroundings, I left the mount of blackness and entered the blinding light's dimension, finally refocusing its features for me to get a clear view of what I'm looking at; the blur in my vision was slowly decaying away, allowing me to see with a more better resolution.

This only left me with a breathtaking view of Setsuna's sleeping face, her ever-so calmness of her expression showing that she was oblivious to the situation.

_Hawaaaa! What's going on?!_

The same high-level temperature regained its strength, colonizing in my body like a communicable disease. I could also feel my chest –my heart– pumping even more blood as well as the level of oxygen that I intake, causing me to feel like I'm running a marathon. However, in all the midst of this, I could not find any strength to make a single move with my limbs, the numbness claiming my body as if it's done beforehand.

_C-Calm down, I must've snuck in Setsuna's bed while sleeping…_

_**Indeed.**_

Cutting off the inner voice with a gulp, which sounded rather like an echo in my mind, I –yet shivering– tried getting myself out of the bed –or at least– safely.

And that was before I noticed the position we were in.

Although both of our bodies are on their sides, which should make it easier to escape than captured, my right arm was claimed as Setsuna's pillow, as her palms were gently –although looking like she was caressing it earlier– resting on it. This probably explained for the weight that was lunging itself on me through the time I had been awake, but the question of 'how did this occur' remained unsolved.

As I tried moving the rest of my limbs, I notice that one of her legs found themselves between mines, wrapping and locking my legs in place. The only thing this situation accomplished was the increase of my abnormal states.

_U-Uwah! T-This is not a good situation! M-Maybe I should just go back to sleep._

_**Or maybe not.**_

"Negi-sensei, I assume that the noise you created meant that you are awake." Mana –identified through tone– monotonously muttered out, her message piercing into the situation, as I felt myself jumping –yet I did not successfully jump from the bed– slightly along with a small shriek of surprise. This resulted in a small moan from Setsuna, insinuating that she was disturbed by the situation I had caused. I panicked for a moment, scared that she would notice the scene, before calming down with her moment of silence, her oblivious sleeping face indicating that she was still 'on the verge' of awakening.

I turned my head to the person that uttered her words not that long ago, her gun –sniper rifle– lying on the side. On the table, there was a blanket cloth bag tied up, which seems to be containing the rocky stuff that I had sense through my ears the moment I had awoken from my dream. Mana seemed to catch what I had my view on, and also held her eyes on the bag before looking back at me.

"Those are the crystals I had gathered from killing the demons this morning." She explained, making me feel insecure about the campus now that I compare time and quantity. "It seems that they were planning an ambush on you while you were unarmed, which unfortunately failed in the end."

Bringing in a sense of understanding, I acknowledged the situation that occurred. "I see…"

"Besides, you should probably get up soon. It's already 7:10 AM and Evangeline is getting ready herself." She added, the time in her second sentence shouting out to my motivation.

_Wait… 7:10AM?! Wahh!_

"Um…" I looked back to the futon, still tangled and locked in place. "Can you help me just a bit?"

* * *

Sighing, I gathered my stuffs and my staff before setting out through the front door, the wood squeaking there and here –though I tried my best not to show that I'm bothered by it–, as I changed the topic to the scene through the door.

The sun shone through the outside environment, allowing me to properly get a glimpse of nature's true form. The trees and bushes that decorated the sight welcomed me with open arms, their standing poses remaining austere yet providing reassurance that oxygen is supplying our system. Over in the distance –a couple meters away– Setsuna and Mana seemed to be in a conversation, waiting for my presence. Though they don't look like it, I could tell that their aura is friendly, endorsing in a lot of topics as if they've been childhood friends.

"That took about five minutes and twenty-three seconds." Mana turned to me, her bland-like expression and monotonous voice never seem to disappear from her list of features, as I felt surprised by her observance.

_I would probably lose count by now…_

I then took a glance at Setsuna, her eyes slowly diverting away from me –shyness being exposed– as I felt my temperature level rising at her sudden timid expression.

"T-Thanks for yesterday…" She muttered out, the reminiscence of her fainting –yet it should be vague for her– lingered in my mind as I felt myself reddening tenfold.

"N-No, it's okay. Evangeline ordered me to do it –ah, but I didn't know until she pointed it out– so it's not like I'll deny the order even if she didn't give me it." Stuttering, I somehow sent my message to her, as she slowly processed the words into her mind, making me feel a bit uneasy of the possible outcome of misunderstanding.

"…Do _it_?" In the midst of our conversation, Mana, for first and possibly last time, raised her eyebrow to her own form of misinterpretation. This only drew in more heat into my face like a magnet pulling the opposite poles together.

"N-No… w-w-we," I choked out, flapping my arms in a way to deny her claim, as a sense of a 'hidden feeling' caved into my system, the feeling that I currently don't want to associate with.

"There's no way he's doing that at his age," I jumped at Evangeline's voice, noticing that she was right behind me, as she spoke out her words like it's something that's easy to say. Relieved that she held the defense in my place, Mana's expression softened into her normal one.

"Or at least, not yet." She added, shocking and breaking every single image of her being a protectorate, yet I could tell that her words were true –though I do not want to touch on that topic.

_**Or at least, not touching on that topic yet… hehe.**_

_W-Wah! Where did you come from?!_

"Ev –Master, you shouldn't s-say those types of stuffs." I replied, feeling thankful that I corrected myself before Mana noticed, and at the same time receiving noticeable glances of confusion from Setsuna. I note to myself to clear that misunderstanding with her later.

I then felt a huge pack of pain engraving on my right cheek, as I fell to the ground holding both my bags, which contains a chunk of teacher's stuffs– and the just-now bruise on my face. It seemed, as I could tell from Evangeline's fist holding out in my previous position, that she was the one who punched me.

"Those 'stuffs' and the punch is what you get for not going ahead of me when I told you to." She spoke back, bringing back her arm to her side, before facing me with her ever-so smirking expression. "Besides, you're going to be late. And as the teacher, wouldn't that be disappointing?"

I snapped at her words, pushing my eyes to the watch on my right arm, as my heart thumped in panic for my duty as the teacher.

It was 8:14AM.

"Besides, it's going to take about fifteen minutes to get there from here." She continued, not hesitating to agitate me further.

* * *

_  
Phew, I can't believe I made it here by running with magic. It sure is exhausting…_

Sweat streamed down my face and my limbs as I steadied myself towards the classroom door, not trying to attract any crowds regarding my condition; I didn't want anyone to misunderstand the situation no matter how twisted or perverted their misinterpretation is. I then rest my hand on the wall, its coldness transferring to my heated temperature, before examining one of the crystals that Mana brought back this morning –though I chose one to analyze over the bagful.

_Well, the demons shouldn't be bothering us for the rest of the school day… –or at least, hopefully._

A sudden close contact came from the back, as I noticed that a student –Miyazaki Nodoka, as I recalled– inadvertently bumped into me.

"S-Sorry, Negi-sensei. I-I should be off to c-class." She quickly gave her apology and a bow before proceeding through the door, letting the class's loudness contribute to the loudness in the hallway. Although she had bangs that nearly obscure every single one of her expressions, I could that her face is embellished with red.

_I guess she's just tired from the run-to-the-class?_

Just before I recovered myself, a flash of light nearly blinded me of my vision, making me startled at the sudden surge of whiteness. Like reflex, I quickly closed my eyes to protect them from any sight problems. Following the second, I reopened my eyes to find a student –one that is probably not from this class– carrying a camera.

"Hmm, interesting…" She mutters out, making me ponder on what's her goal on taking a picture of 'just' me. Her figure then drag onto somewhere else, not even taking a single glance back at me, as it's most likely due to the limited time the students are receiving at the moment. _Usually fans like these would aim for both Setsuna and me…_

Knowing that minutes are still worth, and taking in the insinuating limit of time regarding students turning into their classes, I then placed back the crystal into my pocket before entering in the class.

Loud and noisy as always, I continued through the walkway, noticing and easily identifying acquaintances such as Asakura, whom has been sitting and talking with a couple of students, and Haruna, whom has been chatting with the student that just bumped into me: Miyazaki Nodoka. They both looked like they're endorse into something personal, their faces somewhat concealing something. _But it's not my style to bump into other people's secrets; I'll just leave them be._

It was not then did my temperature level rose to such high degrees, exceeding my will to block such feelings inside of me like an animal breaking away from an owner. Setsuna, as she too had exercised herself to class –using her wings secretly, as I had witnessed–, tried her best to conceal her condition, the look of sweat on all sides of her exposed skin.

_So… intoxicating… –wahhh! I don't wanna think this!_

_**Intoxicating indeed.**_

Diverting my eyes away, I then focused on the attendance sheet, taking it out from the folder I was given from Takamichi. Thankfully, there were only names that displayed, and not pictures. _Otherwise, everyone could detect the visible redness on my face by now._

"Alright, alright." Shizuna, whom has been standing on the side, clapped her hands to the students. "It's time for class to start. Everyone take your seats."

Though not as effective as Setsuna's method –the flashback coming back into my mind, slowly bringing me back into the heated end–, the students slowly gave in, their chatters lessening and their figures receding to their proper places.

Not that long after did Nodoka, whom looked a bit nervous in her position as the morning caller, stood up and said her message.

"Stand!" She called out, the students all in sync and standing up on cue, as I too felt nervous from the sight. "Bow!"

"Good morning, teacher!" The whole class spoke in unison, their bows representing an honor to the senior and their acknowledgement as rank of the underclassmen. "Sit!"

"T-Thank you." I stuttered out, still not used to the sight of the class doing this every morning, before taking a look at the attendance sheet, ready to write what is necessary for a teacher.

Two seats were empty in the left corner, as I, not needing to require any question on their names, ticked off two checks near the names Evangeline and Chachamaru.

_They should really come to class at times like these… unless if they're also exterminating demons –not that I think they'll want to do that._

I inwardly sighed to myself at how I was a failure at keeping them as 'students', before transitioning into a teacher's outlook. Taking out the English textbook from my bag, which has been alongside my staff, I then flipped to the page where we started the new lesson.

"Please take out and open your English textbooks to page 170. We will now learn about semicolons and where you should put then in English phrases." I spoke out, signaling the students to do what they're suppost to do, as I turned around and grabbed a chalk from the chalk-and-eraser holder.

Stepping on the stool, given to me by Ayaka on the first day of school, I then wrote in 'Lesson 3: Semicolons' as the title and a small dotted bullet point. Turning back to the crowd, noticing that their books were all opened to the same page, I then continued my lesson.

"Is there a volunteer to read the first section?" I questioned, looking over the students in curiosity. Most of them were either reluctant or shy to do so, their faces –Setsuna and a few other students being the exception– diverted away.

"Yes." Nodoka raised her hand, not bothering to hesitate for a moment, as her expression differed from her usual shy one; she looked confident this time.

* * *

"She's awfully enthusiastic today." I commented on Nodoka's suddenness, as I resume consuming my sandwich, which is my lunch for the school day. I then looked towards Setsuna, whom has been examining the sight below her –the disparity of our heights in terms of places, as we were still on the roof, noticeable from anyone's point of view– before she too took a bite out of her lunch and gulped it down.

"Nodoka?" She questioned, her eyes still on the lookout for anymore 'fans' tailing us. "Well, there are times where you feel enthusiastic even though you don't really notice it. You can count today as that." She placed her elbow on her lap, in which she had a comfort her chin on her palm.

"I see." I replied back, finally taking the last bit of my sandwich and savoring the flavor of the mayonnaise and the ham. Looking back, I noticed there was Mana with her sniper rifle, as she was analyzing every aspect of the environment in front of her, which serves as a protector against demons. She remained silent, being keen as she is.

"Beside that," She started, changing the topic of our conversation. "Don't you notice the sudden decrease in the fans we had encountered today?"

I blinked in realization, before becoming confused at the time where one 'fan' took a picture of 'only' me. "I think they're just taking our picture separately now. And since we're almost inseparable, they're rarely revealing themselves." I replied back, pondering if my thesis is correct.

Looking back onto Setsuna, while sipping remains of my juice box through the straw, I noticed that she placed more emphasis on what's going on at the sight of the distance; she was paying more attention to the interaction between people, which were probably yards away from our position as we're on the roof. A puff of wind passed by, in which it felt neutral in terms with the environmental temperature and my body temperature; it didn't increase my temperature nor decrease it.

I then, with courage overpowering my fear of heights, sat near the edge, which is near where Setsuna is sitting on. Since her eyes were targeted south, I too directed my view to the sight she is watching, as the scene surprised me.

There were two different crowds, one that is consist of our 'fans', which is on the right side, while the latter, on the left, seems to be of a different side. Their shouts are faint, but I could catch that they're both enemies.

_Then does that mean that they're defending us?_

"Hold on right there!" One of the guys called out from the left side, his surrounding buddies giving him space to declare his statement. "You guys are all always bothering those two! There's no way you could let their relationship strengthen if you endlessly snap a picture of them day by day when all they're trying to do is act like 'friends'!"

_Hmm… is this a separation between the 'fans', then?_

"And who the heck are you toying with? You don't even want them to be together!" Another man from the right side countered back with a strong tone, his expression –though hard to see– was wrinkled in anger.

_I take that as a no?_

As I strain to hear what they're saying, nausea forced me to draw back my position, my fear of heights fighting back what's left of my will to face-my-fears.

* * *

"This feels awkward. There's no demons since the morning we left Evangeline's house." Setsuna spoke, worry shown in her eyes, as we, with Mana, made our way to the dorm.

"Well, we can think of this as a break from killing demons." I commented, trying to brighten up the situation. "And from the 'fans'."

"I guess…" She replied, somewhat bored yet cheered on by my optimistic side.

"Se-chan~! Negi-sensei~!" A familiar student's voice called out behind us, as we both turned to the source, identifying her as Konoka. Her bubbly expression was brightening as she got closer and closer to our destination, and when she did, her arms cast over the both of us; she was giving us a group hug. Mana, as she is off in the distance, remained unscathed as she carefully avoided interaction with the bubbly girl.

"A-Ah, good afternoon to you, Konoka." I somewhat spoke out, as I was not prepared for her actions, before smiling in response to her happy expression.

"O-Ojou-sama, it's a pleasure to see you again, but we're s-sort of on a rush right now." Setsuna, also in the same condition as I previously was, replied to Konoka. From her message, the higher priority locked onto the word 'rush' in which it sparked an idea in me, I also noted to myself to cautiously keep a look out on any ambushing demons, as it is a good time to do such a thing.

"Really?" Pulling out from the hug, the bubbly expression of Konoka's turned into an innocent yet cutely inquisitive one, her index finger touching her chin. "Then, I guess I'll see you later." Head cocked to the side, showing how much obliviousness she has, she accepted Setsuna's statement with a smile.

"Before that," Her arm, holding two bags –though I just noticed that–, she then reached it out and offered my hand to hold it in her place. "Here are some groceries you might be needing to create more fun~fun cooking dishes. Don't worry, I also have a cooking book inside for you to read."

Accepting, I took a hold of the bag, before bowing in her generosity. "Thank you for the food. We will use the contents wisely."

"Now, now, you don't really have to do formal stuff." Konoka commented on my formality, her hand scratching her head dumbly. She then raised her hand out, marking that she'll be departing. "Well, since it can't be helped, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Her figure receded, slowly getting farer, before she unleashed her last words. "Have fun with Negi, Se-chan~"

* * *

"O-Ojou-sama's words…" Setsuna said to herself, her face just as red as mines, as we were slowly getting closer to our dorm. It was just five minutes since Konoka had her say, and because of that, my mind –probably Setsuna's too– were loaded with high amounts of unnecessary heat –though it'll be proven useful to the cold environmental temperature.

"W-Well… I guess she's a bit… on the misunderstanding side…" I replied, trying to explain for the situation, my face lit up in a bloody red crimson blush.

"Whether she is 'misunderstanding' or not doesn't mean that she's opposing your relationship with your partner. It'll be a problem if she were to have the views of the opposite, especially for the principal." Mana stated, her presence faintly acknowledged like a ghost looking over someone.

Suddenly, a surge of suspicion walked inside of my system, forcing me to draw out my staff, at the same time I carefully laid out the bags on the ground. My face, previously embarrassed by Konoka's words, was replaced with a more concentrated and battle-combat expression. I slightly look back at my companions, with Mana taking out her rifle, and Setsuna with her sword. They seemed to understand the situation they're in.

Looking back, I then directed my view to the left, sensing a large amount of heinous aura emitted from the demons, as it was getting bigger and bigger as time passed.

_Rastel Maskil Magister…_

Leaves crunched as the appearance of the enemy came into view. He was dressed in a black robe, leaving only his face in sun's light. I grounded my teeth, throbbing with rage and the sense to get-this-over-with, before the sound of something dropping came into my ears.

Knowing that the source came from behind me, I turned to look at my comrades, surprised that Setsuna dropped her weapon on the sight of the demon.

_C-Could it be that she knows this person?_

Her eyes were in shock, completely frozen by his presence, as she said the words that I've thought to myself in the last time I had my dream.

"F-Father…?"

* * *

Author's Notes (2/22/09): Okay, a lot of crap happened to me, especially during this weekend. Since Chinese New years came, my family dragged me out to visit a lot of places for red envelopes, random discussions between relatives (boring…x0), and other random stuffs I don't really remember. Plus, the school rushed up its projects, so I'm with both class projects and term project (which makes it even more stressful). Heck, my history project is due tomorrow wahhhh o -bows- so I highly apologize for the delay (even tho it's been 1 day since the limit of my delay) -changes mood- Anyways, let's not bother with my RL situations. This was originally intended to show the actual fight, but I also wanted to fit in some school (slice of life?) situations, such as Negi's teachings (of course, I don't want to scroll through his entire lesson, as that would be boring… no?), the backfire of the 'fans' (yes, my new weapon: a new group of fans! xD), and Konoka's comeback (she's just kyute as always… not that I want to push it into a SxK situation [we already have ENUFF of those… no offense to SxK shippers btw T^T dun sue me! I didn't do anything wrong -sniffs-]). Umm… wat else…? Hmmm… =-=;; man I ate too much chocolate today… I'm crashing… crashing -… -sleeps- zZz -bolts up- R&R!

Edited (2/22/09): Got rid of a bunch of stuffs and replaced those in need of improving. Hopefully, this clears out a heap of confusion and helps the understanding side.

Edited (2/23/09): Another scroll-through edit. Got the capitalized error (the I in In) and the visual error (hand should be arm). Now it's time to do my history homework -puts on Naruto headband- yoshuuu!!! Btw the teacher gave me tonight to finish the project paper (he knows I got fanfic skills, so I'm a special exception ;p), so let's get it on!!! ;ooo


	16. Father Pt 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've sold Negima products to the entire world! Heck even to my 'look alike' (haha, I don't know where she is xD)

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Now I love this chapter, keep going!" _I am thankful that the chapter has been a success, heck it's considered the longest chapter out of my fiction! Cheers! -clashes our glasses filled with blood- ;D In fact, I was intending to make the chapter longer and add in the fighting scene, but a bunch of ideas drag themselves into me, so I ended up making a whole break-from-demon-hunting instead xP Hope that this chapter brings the same suspense you were having in chapter 15. Until then~

* * *

Sweat was the only thing that enveloped my body as I stared into Setsuna's eyes, her pupils filled with the horror of the meeting with her father –as insinuated multiple times earlier. Shivering, she couldn't help but slowly drop herself to the ground, terrified of the sight she is currently witnessing. In response to this scenery, I felt as if I was breaking into pieces, my heart splitting and my brain severing, as I begged myself to comfort her –though right now is not the best time.

_If she was seriously scared, then it must mean that her 'father' is really –maybe even extremely– powerful?_

"I presume your name is Negi Springfield?" Turning back from the vulnerable Setsuna and locking my eyes with the red orbs of the crow demon, I shot him with an acknowledging yet stern expression.

"And I assume that you are the dreaded father of my partner?" I answered him, not holding back in my rage in his presence, as it's the cause of Setsuna's condition. He slightly chuckled in response, not affected by my expression.

"Why yes. Since I am her father, it is my duty to deal with our family matters." Closing some distance between us –each step sending shivers of anger into my spine–, he directed his face –his beak sticking out of his hood being the only thing that I could see clearly– at Setsuna's fragile appearance.

Right when he took another step, a large package of bursting fire sounds erupted from my right, nearly deafening my eardrums –my hands covering my ears in reflex. I looked towards the source, and noticed that Mana had fired her rifles several times, as the end of the gun was beaming out heaps of smoke in the aftermath of the moment. Her eyes –slowly narrowing– were threatening the 'father', as to not take his reputation as a father like if it's something that grants him a high-ranking power. Following the event, her hand –not the one holding the trigger– slipped in a scope attachment to the rifle. It looked like a sniper rifle, except with not-so-powerful ammo –probably like a FG-42.

"I guess the demons were right: You are –amongst them– the most powerful demon. It's not unexpected for you to take matters like this as less seriously than we do." Mana replied to the father, her expression remaining hateful yet dolled, before reaching into her side pocket for a clip of ammunition. The empty magazine fell to the ground, and a fresh new one replaced it.

I then turned back to the enemy, whom seemed to be a few meters to the left, as his body obtained no scar from the attack earlier; the bullets caught onto a nearby tree instead of the enemy. His eyes, filled with bloody redness, locked onto mines. A jolt welled up in my chest, fear gnawing its way into my system like poison entering a victim, as I tried my best to counter it back with a stern –though forced– expression. I grounded my teeth to show how much hatred I carried towards the black robed crow, before noticing that his cloth was making sure to cover up anything that could possibly be a weapon holder. Knowing this, I remained cautious in regard to the situation.

"Well, like I was saying: We have family matters to discuss about." He spoke, not hesitating for a second to take yet another step towards us, as his robe swayed in motion by his actions. The distance between us was three meters, which was but of a mere inch from the range of death –or at least, the fight to the death.

I clenched my teeth, much more harder this time that I could feel the pain between them beckoning to stop, as I stared with a more vicious approach towards the crow. I also balled my hands, turning them into fists, as I couldn't help but to use inward senses to force my actions –actions that can be considered 'reckless'– back into their places.

All in all, I tried standing up straight, and hold a rather content expression, trying my best not to let my rage run out of control.

"From the circumstances, I take it that she doesn't want to deal with your 'family matters'." I replied, before looking back at Setsuna –who was previously as fragile as glass–, and noticing that her physique gained reassurance and confidence. She stood back up with the help of her sword–the sharp end sinking into the dirt, outputting a sound that can only be emitted by the nature's ground, while her hands held onto the handle.

In her correct posture, she then took further steps forward, before catching my eyes and showing me that she's ready for what's to come. She made a small smile –probably saying 'thank you'– at me, making me feel the same warming sensation within my body, as she held her weapon in combat mode. Though things look fine for the moment, I couldn't help but feel a tad bit worried about her, including the past –though I don't recall her saying anything about her family, making me assume that it's a topic that she doesn't want to tap on– that might've been affecting her, driving her to this level of vulnerability.

_Now that I think about it, I haven't really gotten any time to search for my father, even though he's said to be in Japan…_

To not waste any time, and through the observance of the battle, I gathered up my mana –the emissions already doing its job when I chanted my incantation earlier, though set at a minimum power up to this point– while forming up a reasonably put out plan. A breeze of wind flew by, telling me that this was only the 'calm before storm'.

_**-FB-**_

_"Hmph, try focusing all of your mana on your hand, and I'll see if you're worthy enough." Evangeline muttered out, the atmosphere changing to her own auspiciousness. I couldn't help but feel a tad bit regret in the decision I made, but at the same time I was excited to try out a new style._

_ I raised my arm out, palm facing my eyes, as I slowly blacked out my vision on cue, nailing down the image of that same palm. I then drove in bundles of blue substances –a hard picture to throw in, making me struggle with my head as if I'm choking it down–into that imagery, coexisting with my hand while surrounding and wrapping its way like cloth. A surge of power flowed in and out of me, as if my own mana was running on its own like a mythical creature._

_ Opening my eyes, the visual that was in my mind earlier was the same in reality, as the blue liquid-like coat was seemingly hugging my hand like it's the only thing on Earth. I wasn't really bothered by its appearance, but I do admit that I was surprised and astonished by this view._

_ "Took you long enough. Usually pros would be able to take around five seconds to form a simple thing like that." The blonde vampire smirked at the pessimistic image of the scene, not hesitating to point out the 'bad' points._

_**Discouraging yet encouraging as always…**_

_"Alright, keep on doing that until you reach five second summon!" Shock froze me in place, filling my system up with fear, as I couldn't help but stare at her with a huge 'What?!' written on my pupils._

_ "T-Th-There-e's n-no w-way-" I stuttered out, failing to find anymore words to fill in the sentence without making a huge disappointment –knowing her, it'll be beyond disappointment and anger– on Evangeline's face._

_ "Cut out the weak chatter. I don't want my apprentice to be a person like that." Evangeline responded, tone severely on the dark end while her expression wrinkled into what I predicted: massive disappointment. At this type of face, I couldn't even do anything more than bowing my head –the painful impact making its clash on my very skull–, as fear engraved deep inside of me like I was nothing less than a robot with perishable feelings of defiance._

_ "S-Sorry…" I apologized, though tone was barely audible, while pushing my forehead more and more on the ground._

_ Gravity wasn't being nice to me this time, because the weight of my head suddenly became the weight of a tree, before noticing that Evangeline thrust her foot on top of my head. "Hmm, good boy…"_

_ Her tone sound a bit menacing yet calming this time, relieving me of any sort of punishment she must've heavily prepared for me –mainly a thousand push ups for starters–, as the surge of force lifted itself from me. "Since the resort is set to the ratio of one hour in reality and one day in here, you've got all the time you need to make yourself useful."_

_**-FB-End-**_

I struggled to keep the mana dwelled inside of me as controllable as possible –the remembrance of Evangeline's training being a helper in this–, as I try taming my left hand's mana emissions by seventy-five percent. With this, there were only invisible-like threads streaming out of my system, which are barely visible to possibly anyone.

_Now all I have to do is form something…_

As soon as I felt that my guard was lifted in trying to accomplish the formation of a weapon, the emissions got a tad wilder, coming out as a highlight, but it's still considered 'barely visible'. I winced a bit at this sight.

_Concentrate…_

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself from overpowering myself, as I tried my best to visualize a sword in my hand, its weight and its very soul landing on my palms. I could feel its sharpness point narrowing and narrowing down, making it even more deadly than ever; it was sharpening more and more.

My breathing became more audible, louder than it was before, as stress of a manipulator's in its term of controlling mana climbed into my system. Following the constant breaths, I could feel my heart thumping harder and harder, releasing more heat into my body, and the throbbing in both excitation and rage.

_Make it sharper… sharper!_

I reopened my eyes, feeling the sweat clinging on my body, as I noticed the picture I tried captivating into my mind turned out to be my hand, armored with the sharp end of a sword. In other words, the knuckle part of my hand was overlapped by pure –yet made out of mana– steel, like it was growing out of it. Except for the fact that the sword itself was glued to this state.

"A manipulator? I haven't seen one of those in a long time…" The crow commented, his amusing never ceasing to anger me further, as he too drew out a part of his offensive armory: black wings. They flung out high and out broad like they were free from prison, free from life, liberty and justice, while the sound of fanning out omitted an aura of self-awareness. In response, Setsuna narrowed her eyes at the sight and had also pulled out her own wings –the ones that were white like the clouds and angels–, not hesitating to show anyone her demon part –or at least, to the limit of my knowledge on this concept. On the right, Mana seemed to have set up a M249 Saw, directing its firing range to another point of the horizon, while making me ponder on her sudden disinterest in the involvement of the battle.

She caught my questioning glance right away, as if she's been expecting it, before slightly turning back to her weapon.

"There seems to be more reinforcements that are heading this way. I will take care of them." She spoke out, pulling out bunches of ammo –probably stashed in secret places– that made themselves home on the dusty ground, the drops of the ammunition sounding and looking like they're turning into puffs of smoke.

"Please also take care of my stuffs." I replied, looking back at the bags of both Konoka's and mines –though I should call them teacher's stuffs instead of mines.

She then nodded in reply, though as I looked at the situation she's in, I couldn't help but feel a sense of uncomfortable vibes. But before I would let those thoughts claim my mind, I then readjusted my view back to the opponent, not wanting anything else to drag on the slowness of my involvement.

The two crows –though one is half-human and half-crow– remained quiet, distanced, and maybe even trying to intimidate each other through the silence. Wind and gust found its way in the scene, blowing away feathers of their wings and embellishing the sky with black and white feathers. It was like Hell and Heaven at the same time, the black symbolizing the down end and the white symbolizing the upper end. I could feel myself calm, yet cautious at the same time, the aura of the atmosphere tightening in at both sides, as I slowly stepped over two inches. My hand then reached to my back holster, where my staff was well put, before dragging it out and preparing myself for liftoff; I knew that this was going to be a fight in the sky, so I wielded my tools with no hesitation.

"Shall we begin? We can talk while we fight." The black winged crow said his words, entering into a stance where he looked like he was kneeling down, except with his left hand on the ground and his right hand opened up for defensive purposes.

I turned to Setsuna, her stance –set in almost the same way the father was– never fading away, as her eyes held macabre hatred at the sight, not wanting anything to be auspicious for the enemy.

"Then let's begin." Was his last words before heavy thrusts of oxygen pulled over, each and every single amount of force making the dust gather round, like a tornado.

Using my staff, I directed myself to the battle, making my mana sword –though short at first– as long as possible, before moving its target to the opponent. He took notice of my move while holding off Setsuna's charging attack with his own sword –assumed that it was hidden among his list of armed weaponry–, her eyes not hesitating to even kill her own father. I was a bit surprised at their interaction, as if it was the first time that I've seen such a harsh scene.

_D-Dane… her relationship to her father is totally the opposite of mines…_

Finally at the point where I was about two meters away from him, as he countered Setsuna's attack and pushed her off to the side –probably by four meters away–, I tried parting away the mount of mana –mainly the part where I have my sharp point of my sword– so that it's a projectile weapon instead of a combat one. Although I call it the 'projectile', there are actually strings of mana clinging to the part that 'separated' from the weapon that I formed, making it so that I can control where I can direct my attack of the 'projectile'.

His red eyes blinked in response –a type of reaction that you don't see from this kind of guy, or at least from my point of view–, before his wings drove him away from the 'projectile'. I controlled it with ease, making it chase where he is going like a lock-on missile.

"Adeat!" Setsuna called out, signaling her knives to take advantage of the scene, each blade traveling to the enemy.

Swiftly sweeping away as he backed up, shards of black needles –feathers turning into weapons– erupted from his wings, targeting both Setsuna and me. I quickly triggered my left arm's mana emissions as I rushed myself to Setsuna, making the form of the mana bigger in order to block the attacks in the place of her. As for my right arm –carrying the mana sword with its sharp end caving into the father crow's direction–, I drew back its offensive state and made it defensive, this time for my sake, as it too block the coming needles.

However, using these mana forms placed a certain amount of stress into my system, thus making me cringe at the attacks that were piercing into my mana shield –though it is not enough to fully go through it.

"N-Negi?" Setsuna noticed how much the damage is affecting me, her eyes filled with altruism –though my concern about her health rivaled it– before slightly adjusting her eyes –with reason– to keep track of her own projectiles. It seemed that the blades were furiously fighting and dodging each needle, but the majority of the crowd of weapons were favorable to the father crow.

_H-He's seriously strong…! It's as if these needles are infinite!_

When it felt like there was no end to this, the attacks suddenly stopped, as if they were expected to in order to accomplish something else like a machine gun stopping its outbursts to reload. In response to this sudden halt, I remained motionless; the mana barriers were still in their same state. The sound of wind movement indicated that Setsuna regained her own weapons, the knives coming closer to our position to strengthen our defensive state.

The black robed crow smirked at the sight –somewhat reminding me of the horrors of Evangeline–, still looking like he never got a single scratch on himself.

"Even if you are the Thousand's son, you don't seem to have the will to seriously fight me." He spoke, his red eyes narrowing down like they're stabbing my own. Droplets of his feathers –transforming from their previous form: needles– went with the wind, being blown away into its new home.

He then switched his view to Setsuna, as she braced herself when she caught his eyes. "Hmph, and to think that you've lead this life with him…"

I then took a glance at Setsuna, her teeth grounded together as hostility surge into her features, making her body tremble in resentment. She then tried calming herself down, her pupils retaining their normal senses, and the vibrations ceasing to interfere with her system.

"And I've enjoyed my life, especially without you." She shot back, tightening her grip on the handle of her sword. I pondered on her words for a minute, not understanding how she knew that she wanted a life without her father.

"My, my." He muttered out, as if mocking the living heck out of our crew. "Don't you remember that I found a way to make you a full demon?"

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Author's Notes (3/7/10): Phew, the plot that I've been wanting to keep in store for this chapter stretched out a bit too much o.0;; I guess I'll divide it into parts xP R&R!

Edited (3/9/10): Soz for the long wait (in fact, I'm typing this out in class, haha xD shhh, I'm actually playing back my beats to find any need to change up the volumes of particular sounds)… but yep, this is just the beginning of their full-out war xOOO rawrz haha. Ummm, what else to say… . hmm.. well, I got a test going tmrw ;oo Let's study!~ rawrz!!! –oh ya, I was suppost to talk about my edits (lol, im kinda slow today xP). Ummm, I remade a couple stuffs, clear out confusing points… hoping to get more edits done by the end of this day… and ya xP

Edited (3/13/10): Turned out the pc had device failures (arggg, the graphic card ToT), which makes it a pain to turn on the pc without going through multiple emergency restarts just to get it to the desktop (Through the weekdays, I decided to give the pc a rest [I don't want the device failures to get worst T^T] and stuck to other activities [wahhh, so hard since I relied mostly on the internet for entertainment …but… I lived ^^;;]). Anyways, edited it even further, and got rid of repeated words and other stuffz… but yep, let's submit this! –oh yeah! I also got CAHSEEs next week O-O Wish me luck! ;D

Edited (3/14/10): FF(dot)net got loads of stuffs that messed with my prompt =-= so I just went in and fix up the stuffs along with a few literature errors. Now off to celebrate Mom's b-day!~


	17. Father Pt 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've lead the arcs differently (in favor of NxS, obviously xD) while dealing with problems regarding my fiction's idea (which you'll find out in future chapters ;p).

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"WoW! Intresting chapter, Setsuna's father, and an epic battle. This is gonna be awesome!" _O-O yay! Another success *w*! Hehe, thank you for sticking out with me even though my delays are getting larger ^w^;; (term 3 is not being nice to me, unfortunately T^T). But anyways, let's not worry about the pointless stuffs -grabs heaps of popcorn bags- Let's move onto part 2! ;ooo

Tsukanda – _"Oh! I like where this is going. I'm very interested in how becoming a full demon would affect Setsuna ;D I'm usually not quite fond of first person perspective with stories, and this isn't much of an exception. By no means should you change it, but I just thought I'd put it out there, because first person sometimes gets really repetitive with the constant use of "I". It's just my preference though. Lol. Keep up the nice work!" _Haha, glad to know this is intriguing you ^w^ As for the first person perspective, I respect your opinion, as I –in contrast– am not a fond of third person because of the sudden loss of aura that makes you feel like you're the person/character yourself. But, of course, this is how I see it xP And I will keep doing my best~!

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Note: This is now from Setsuna's point of view  
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**_**  
-FB- (7 years ago)**_

_ "Kono-chan!" I called out, smiling as I threw the ball to her, as I enjoy contributing to the playful atmosphere of our backyard. There were no relatives or guards –as I am supposedly Konoka's bodyguard for the time being–, which makes things much more easier to handle when dealing with these types of situations –playful situations that are not regarding to the rules of the elders._

_Konoka smiled in reply, her hands outstretched to capture the object as it landed in her palms. The ball was but mere rubber, but it was still something that we both cherished –and will forever cherish– to this day. Though the usual playful activity involve the passing of the ball back to the other partner, Konoka held the ball tight to her chin before giggling and making me ponder on what's funny._

_ "Hehe, I hope dad doesn't find out that I'm skipping off his duties." Answering back my thoughts, I smiled back as she tossed the ball back. However, the strength of the pass doubled –astonishing both of us–, forcing it to go beyond the gates of the house's borderline._

_ "Ah, I accidentally used too much strength this time." Konoka's bubbly expression of an 'oops' brightened up the situation in contrast to my slightly distraught one –of course, I'm thankful that she has that type of personality–, as she tilted her head –the smile still manifested on her face– and touched her chin with her hand; she did the usual 'oh my, oh my' ritual._

_ "Don't worry, I'll get it for you." I tried reassuring her –though it doesn't look like she's worried or sad, which is ideally required for reassurance– before turning back and heading off to the destination of the rubber ball. Thankfully, I already held the keys –given and trusted to me before the department of the adults–, so it wasn't a major hassling type of a problem._

_ With a click, the door unlocked, signaling me to draw back the key –the silvery patterned tip coming out of the hole on cue–, as I pushed through and catch sight of the toy that we were playing with earlier._

_ It was but a mere ten meters from my location –making me surprised at how powerful Konoka's mana is, though it's told that she doesn't have a thorough outlook of a mage's strength in terms of mana usage–, as I cautiously crossed the road towards the ball's direction. There were a bunch of trees around it, the twigs sunbathing around and the leaves snuggling on the toy, but I brushed them off once I got it in my hands._

_ Suddenly, a large pack of dark aura emerged from another part of the forest, forcing me to draw up my weapon –previously holstered in the shell, which was tied to my back–, its blade held in my right hand, with the ball clutched tightly on my left. I quickly took advantage of the memories from the training that I've been put through in the school that I was assigned in –though today is considered one of those holidays where I can visit Konoka._

_ "You're very well taught with someone your age." The deep voice called out behind me, bringing me a wave of fright, which makes my body shiver. However, I did not falter any further as I quickly turned around, slashing at the space behind me._

_ The impact of wind indicated that the 'shadow' –as I now call it, unfortunately– dodged the attack. Judging from the motion of the wind's touch –thus making my hair sway upwards–, I adjusted my view so that I'm looking up._

_ And fortunately, my guess was correct: the shadow went up into the sky's direction._

_ His black robe swayed with the howling gust, hood covering his face, with black wings outstretched from his back. There was a beak that stuck out of the shadowing view, but nonetheless this shadow was still a person I've never met before._

_**He seems rather suspicious… don't let your guard down!**_

_I clenched my fingers on the handle of my sword, sweat slipping down and matting against the ribbons –tied around the handle– as I prepared myself for close combat, not noticing that the figure above me was no longer there._

_ "So this is my daughter?" The same voice caved out, halting my stance for a second, before my reflexes kicked in: I slashed with piercing speed towards the source of the sound. As I feel myself flowing with the winding motion, a loud clang emitted from what I just attacked, forcing me to feel the momentum of being pushed back._

_**Wait, he said 'daughter'…?**_

_The blade of another came into my view, finally noticing that it was the object that deflected my own, as the swords –both wielded by myself and the shadow–, were locked. I then looked up to the shadow, revealing it to be –with his hood slightly positioned in a state in which some light shed in– a mask that has a beak imbedded on it. The mask looked like it's made out of wood, but it gives out the feeling of a texture that is more sturdy than wood, probably like a plate of steel dyed with the color of a maple wood. There were also ancient-like patterns on it, the shapes' repetition never ceasing to amuse me more than everything else._

_ "My beloved daughter, don't you want to walk the path of a full fledge demon instead of wasting time with the weak humans?" He questioned with a tone –charmed with a tint of antagonism– that made me shudder from head to toe, as if icicles suddenly threw themselves inside of my system, resulting in possible frostbites._

_ All that was followed left was the voice of an adult –its shouts indicating that someone found us–, as footsteps stomped and suspicion aroused in the atmosphere._

_ I could only feel a sense of surprise and confusion._

_** -FB-End-**_

_ Wait, I remembered!_

Realization climbed into me as soon as I found myself behind Negi –though seemingly injured, as a small blood trail made its way from his mouth to his chin, from the previous interaction with my father– his presence fueling more heat, yet, as the days has passed with the experience of this type of feeling, I've somewhat gotten used to the warming sensation.

"Full demon?" He questioned in slight mockery –yet there was a hint of his bravery in saying it–, his figure standing up –though not entirely stabilized– as his feet steadily balanced on the staff, the blue substance still locked on the hold of his arms. "By the looks of it, I don't think you'll be getting a good response to that."

I looked back to front between the two males, their sharpening looks acquired by will, as the sudden silence –though supposedly no one had done nothing at this point– had been interrupted by the gunshots emitted by Mana's weapon. In response to the noise, I turned over –slightly adjusting my wings to get an appropriate viewing– to take a small glance at her, the firing bullets seemingly infinite for the moment as she held the gun with a connoisseur's expertise. Her expression never altered from her seriousness, though there are times where she would blink in response to sudden attacks –not that she'd be surprised by a demon when they're in her range of death.

It was then that I noticed how close we are to the range of students –thankfully, there are loads of after school clubs going on, and ensuring that there'll be a less likely chance of interaction between their confusion and our secret–, making me shiver just a bit at the mindful image of Asakura taking pictures of the fighting scene.

I then turned around, the tension between the two stirring more rage and more reason to unleash upon their anger. Sweat had poured in with more quantity when my father had changed the direction of his view to me –though his rage seemed to be calming down at this point, frightening me further when I noticed that he's searching an answer from me, as he was provoked by Negi's question from just a minute ago–, but I replaced it with the same hateful emotion carried by the person next to me.

"I do remember when you interacted with me in my young days, but the words that I've said in that time and the words that I say in present are the total opposite." I spoke out towards him, the remembrance of my youth –well, filled with my youthful stupidity– claiming my thoughts for the meantime.

_**-FB-**_

_ "Hey! Who were you with?!" One of the men –probably the adult living along with Konoka's family– gripped my shoulder, sending thunders of pain, as his strength was overwhelming. He looked furious, his eyes in deep shock yet widening in sheer astonishment._

_ "I-It hurts!" I couldn't help but shriek out in reply, the nails of this person's hand digging harder into my skin, as if he was tearing off every part of my flesh. Hatred seeped into my mind, making me carry a heap of rage in this man's presence._

**Kill him.**

_The next thing that came into my view was the bloody corpse of the man in front of me, his skull –popped open on one side– dyed with red, the meat slicking off with the gravity's help, and the sudden appearance of a black claw that appeared right in front of me._

_**W-What the…**_

_ Noticing that this claw came from another source –my eyes already scrolling down to find my own hands in their normal form as the proof–, I took a glance behind me to find the same exact person that interacted with me not that long ago._

_**…Father? **__My eyes landed on his face –his mask._

_ "Are you alright?" His deep voice questioned, as his hand –not the one with the claw– laid itself on my shoulder. It was not the hard grip of the previous adult –though I've never seen that man before in my lifetime– nor the soft touch of Konoka's hand, but it was somewhat the feeling of reassurance. "He was one of my old enemies. I'm surprised at how obsessed he is with tracking me down."_

_ I gulped, feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere that was striving to make itself acknowledged, before I find myself patting the hand back with my own. Wanting to form any words to show my gratitude, I couldn't help but utter the words –my body turning over to my father in order to speak out– that I'll know that I'll be regretting in the future –though this is for the sake of becoming stronger and more capable of protecting both myself and Konoka._

_ "I will take up on your offer; I want to be a full demon." I felt myself shaking as I said this, the ball held tightly to my chest, as I noticed how surprise the person in front of me was. Nevertheless, I could tell that was smiling inside that mask of his, his dark echoing voice responding back to my message._

_ "Then I will be waiting for when you are stronger." Were the last words before wind picked up and carried his presence away._

_** -FB-End-**_

In nearly an instance –though in the midst of Negi's projectiles with my unconsciously controlled blades keeping my father at bay–, I strained myself to speed up towards the opponent, the wind blasting on my face –considered 'refreshment' as opposed to the sweaty heat from the battle– like an obstacle in achieving something, as his eyes blink in surprise when I was about a meter away from him. I grounded my teeth in accomplishment before shouting out a technique.

"Chaos of a hundred flowers!" I shouted out, swinging my yunagi with vengeance as it slashed and sliced up the cloth that he wore –thus, Negi paused what he had done to buy me time–, along with another blowing damage –with the back of the sword, as it's the quickest way to do an add-in-a-separate-attack in terms of battling– to his thigh, exciting me with the fact that this was a successful follow up, before flying safely away from his position. Going to the results of the previous technique, a transformation occurred, turning his clothes into pedals of cherry blossoms, its pinkish glow adding to the sight of black and white feathers. The black robe –which has now diminished– that he had on earlier now revealed a battle armor: dark gray plates of steel clung onto his elbows and knees; a layer of black leather covered his chest and his legs, exposing his human-like arms; belts and holsters –containing several weapons like his sword, daggers, and even a gun– strapped themselves on his beltline, diagonally across his chest, and even one on his wrist –the wrist that was of a human being. This also shows his black claw –the claw that had protected me when I was little–, its sharp triangular fingers twitching as soon as its presence is known, and his normal left hand –the hand that had patted me, the hand that was bringing me bundles of relief.

The mask –as seen through flashback– started cracking, the wood decaying and pieces pattered down to the wind's drifting motion, along with the 'beak'. His brown hair, styled in my form of bangs –proof that I was born from him–, swayed with the gusty wind as the mask unveiled.

It was not what a regular demon had –the usual black coated feathers and the orange pointy beak– but of a human's –a face that nearly matched the father of Konoka's. One of his eyes appears to have the same red pupil, but with a black background instead of a white; it was as if he has an evil eye. His other eye –looking normal– had bore a vertical scar, its length reaching from the middle of his forehead to his cheekbone.

I truly felt astonished at this sight –considering that I have not met his face from skin to skin–, but I did not leave my guard down as he quickly drew his swords –two swords: a long one and a dagger– and turned around to attack regardless of the state he's in.

Blocking the arc of his slashes with the help of my contract blades and my main sword, I felt myself falling through the air and to the direction of the ground. I then took advantage of the momentum, quickly alternating my position so that I would turn and return to air zero, and sending my father to the dust. Swiftly shifting his gravity level, he only took a small bite of the dirt before pulling himself –through the help of his wings, that is– up to the air once again.

"As I thought, you're half." Muttering out my words in both rage and realization, I narrowed down my eyes towards him, yet slightly stunned in how my father's true face is. I then added a question, slight mockery inheriting my tone.

"If you've always wanted your daughter to be a full demon, why do it for her if you're not one yourself?"

He took a small pause in the situation, slightly smiling –yet, reminding me of Evangeline, bringing in shivers of the last training we've put up with– as his 'evil' eye –well, considering that I have no other title for it– twitched in response to my words. His eyes scrolled down from me and to Negi –my curiosity forcing me to check Negi's condition–, as Negi himself felt paralyzed by the sight –though astonishment can only go so far– before it transitioned into a battle combat mode.

"Because…" He started, looking back towards me with his red orbs, seemingly gesturing that it's trying to act 'good'.

"…I want my children to have the best life they can possible." Finishing his sentence, he grinned wider in a paternalism-like feeling, as if clinging onto the definition of 'innocence'. But I did not give him a good remark.

"And why can't you notice the fact that the best life that I can have possible is the life that I have now?" I wielded my weapons, my mind urging me to output the rage that I've kept in me, as the presence of Negi suddenly made itself acknowledged, his figure a mere two meters away –through the use of his staff, steering himself towards my position– with his own weapons –a set of sharp claw-like projectiles hanging at bay near his left arm while the latter held the sword that was used in the previous interaction– in the a cautious stance: neither defensive nor offensive.

A sense of protectiveness contributed to the aura of his involvement, but I left those feelings alone –well, for the meantime– as Negi made the first move towards the man. His figure –the steering of his staff being a component of reason– proceed diagonally forward to the left, leaving me to assume that his mental plan is to take the right flank.

I guided my pactio blades with no hesitation towards my father, as the majority –with one blade near me for self-protection– flew at the right part of the area between him and me. This didn't seem to startle him one bit, his muscles still unmoved and his eyes never twitched, as he pulled out his gun –previously holstered in his belt– and fired several shots at the incoming projectiles.

Unfortunately, what could've been just steel bullets turned out to be packages of chi –the type that can usually diminish mana pretty easily if used in this format–, resulting in the disappearance of Negi's left hand weapons. This exhausted both parties –proved through observance of the two, as Negi from mana loss and father from chi loss, in which I'm guessing the mana-killing chi is quite a powerful energy to use, not to mention mind and physical stress as the aftermath–, seeing Negi desperately trying to regain his composure, and the opponent doing nearly the same.

But this did not stop me from attacking.

While father was busy with Negi, my blades caught up to his figure, motivating him to dodge them in the state he is now in –though I had guessed that this is the part where I'm more at advantage than he is, for the time being, that is–, as his wings stretched themselves and flapped to and fro.

A shriek suddenly sounded out, signaling me to search for the source of it, as Negi clenched his left arm with much pain. The memory of Evangeline –as she had told me this morning while Negi was making his move towards school– warning me that demons can apply varieties of status effects –examples including poison, numbness, and even the depletion of large amounts of energy in mere seconds– came into my mind as quick as the speed of father's bullets.

_W-Wait… if he's powerful amongst the demons, then does that mean that he has more than one status effect? And if that gun depleted much energy from him, then does that mean Negi is at stake here?!_

These thoughts were interrupted –my dily daddling placing not only Negi at stake, but also mines– as my father threw his dagger, dodging the blades that I've blocked him with –including the one beside me–, and nailing me with a nasty cut on my left arm. This left me with a sudden shred of pain, making me wince with regret, as I took cautious measures in his future attacks.

"You know, this could all end if you were to come with me now rather than all this useless resistance." He spoke out, bringing his dagger back –thus making me notice that he tied a string around the handle of his weapon– to his palm, before placing back his two weapons onto the hook of his holster belt, warning me that he is entering fist mode.

"But I guess I'll need to get a little serious. Time is indeed running out." By the time he finished his message, his figure already appeared in front of me, startling me with his unimaginable speed, as he threw off a punch directed to my stomach.

My reflexes took control of my body for the moment, making me dodge the lightning speed punch, before using this time to create a counterattack. I gripped my yunagi, swinging it right to his neck, but his own reflexes makes things much more auspicious for him. He grabbed my hand –the one holding the sword– and shook it off with sheer force, making the weapon fall and spear into the dirt. At the same time, he pushed me a few distance away through midair, ensuring that he dodged my projecting blades along with Negi's right arm's projectiles –although Negi is still in a state of regaining his fighting spirit–, and made way for another shot of his fist.

I thought I blacked out for a second, my eyes shutting to expect the punch of my father's –though I understood that he would much rather place me in an unconscious state with his fists rather than putting me at risk of being killed with his swords–, before there was nothing else that followed other than the sound of a crushing punch, sending someone –and that someone isn't me– to –well, probably– the other side of the world.

"Jeez, I just come here after a short little journey 'round the mountains, and this is what I see next?" A voice came out –the source unknown, though felt like a mature and adult-like tone–, as I noticed that the sound was emitted close to me.

I reopened my eyes slowly, finding out the identity of the voice to be a man that looked like Negi –though age difference between him and Negi are like comparing fifteen to two–, as I couldn't help but blush in his sudden closeness towards me –well, considering that he had the same shade and hairstyle as Negi's, not to mention his bravery.

_W-Whoa… who is this person?_

He turned to me, his eyes and mature looking face never ceasing to make my own face as red as I could feel the temperature bar rising, while carrying an innocent-looking expression.

"Oh…" He took a small pause, his red pupils shining with curiosity of my presence and identity. It was after a small examination that he transitioned his inquisitiveness into a happy –yet a small resemblance of Konoka's bubbly personality– expression, as if welcoming me with open arms.

"Hi there, I'm Nagi Springfield." His smile grew onto me, charging the intensity of my blush.

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Author's Notes (4/5/10): Phew, I've been eating so much chocolate (well, to keep myself awake and typing), it's been killing me like poison… nuuuuuu! DD; Well, sorry for the delay (once again, that is… sigh… I'm dying out of laziness… is this the type of feeling that authors get? xD). But nonetheless, good news! I got spring break~ ^w^ and now I can make the next chapter's update faster than the other delays I've been putting you guys through (well… unless if mom spend this week dragging me out to town and putting me through Hell T^T wahhhh~~), so please expect a shorter delay~ Other than that, I've decided to throw in Nagi~! W00t!! Let's welcome _him_ with open arms hahaha xD And as for Setsuna's dad, what do you think about him bein a half human half crow (well… aside from the fact that you're raising loads of questions)? R&R!

Edited (4/5/10): Bloody goodness! FF(dot)net killed a lotta gd stuffs ive implanted T^T Well, I'm fixing those now, including the sudden bold text, disappearance of configurations, etc =-=;;

Edited (4/6/10): Caught a few typos, add in beta stuff, and now I'm going to take a nap

Edited (4/6/10): Alright, decided to add this to the list: If you want to get a better visual of what Setsuna's father looks like, here's an image to another anime that bears the length of it - images(dot)absoluteanime(dot)com/black_lagoon/rock[2](dot)jpg (this picture is "Rock" from Black Lagoon)

Edited (4/9/10): Ah, I'm just here to drop in a written version of my Author's Notes (no, it doesn't have word for word of the Author's Notes that I usually put in my fanfics xP) but here it is: i43(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/e367/lilfriend400/AuthorsNotes(dot)jpg (recommended if you can read my handwriting) OR s43(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/e367/lilfriend400/?action=view¤t;=AuthorsNotes(dot)jpg


	18. Father Pt 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've made Negi either older or the rest of the cast younger (but I would prefer older ^w^).

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"As I expected, this is a true epic battle! I love the way you wrote it, it felt like a J.K Rowling story :3 I can't wait for more stories!" _^^;; Wow, that's probably the best compliment I ever received from you (well, unless if my memory's too fuzzy and such), but I thank thee for your glee \^w^/ And JK Rowling story? I'll go and take a small research on that xP -gives shonen a virtual chocolate donut-  


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"F-Father?" Negi's voice cracked out –thus signaling me to refocus my attention on him–, his eyes filled with excitation and surprise, which is the total opposite of my interaction with my own father –though I do not mind his reactions; I'm just contrasting it.

His face was then trailed on with tears –tears that are filled with the lifelong goal of accomplishment, which were the words hinted by Takamichi before Negi and I both met up with each other–, as the sudden heartwarming atmosphere of the reunion was broken off as my father threw his dagger towards the scene –towards Negi. I took immediate action and sweep myself in his direction, using my yunagi to block the attack –blade to blade–, but all these predetermined strategies were halted once I found out that they were not needed.

As if everything else –not including me– sped up by ninety miles per hour, Nagi –with his own staff, its wooden texture giving off the same feel as Negi's staff– managed to steer himself in front of Negi through midair and capture the opponent's blade with ease, his serious expression never ceasing to amaze me at the fact that he can even level up with my father –though, of course, he was as known as the 'thousands master', as I have heard several times in my youth from Konoka's family. This gave me a clear view of the resemblance between these family members, as I couldn't help but compare Negi to his 'future self', which only strives towards the heated temperature meter.

_N-No, right now is not the time to be wasting such moments._

I tried shaking myself from occupying my mind with unnecessary matters, as I turned forty-five degrees to the right –the direction of my father's whereabouts– to look at my father's condition –and to be cautious in his presence, as keeping him in sight is vital–, whom has been knocked into a tree earlier from Nagi's counterattack, making a huge crashing mark on the wood. Some parts of the wood slip onto the ground, but there are a few pieces that made themselves home on my father's shoulder and lap. He did look a bit tired –though his breathing was normal, or at least, not as bad as when he used his gun; his condition remained stable–, before he whipped himself up from his sitting position, changing his stance to place himself in a more offensive approach while taking out his sword. Unfortunately, while pulling his dagger back, –through the use of strings-to-the-handle– it did not work out well –yet this is proved through Nagi's strength, as he held the handle, making it so that the string snaps–, thus leaving him with a smaller number of weapons.

"I feel honored to meet you like this, thousand's master." He directed his message to Nagi, his dark tone –though not as menacing as when he had his mask on– reinforcing his verbal counterattack. "Perhaps we should negotiate instead of enduring a violent battle?"

Nagi twitched when he heard his question –indeed, it was to be an expected reaction to someone whose trying to 'negotiate' when they already made themselves known as the antagonist–, as my father took further steps forward –right towards me– while his attention was locked on Nagi. I tightened the grip on my yunagi's handle, the same fear of my father's presence casting down in my path, as I brought my contract blades closer to me, ready to stab anything at anytime. My position was inches above the ground –of course, with the help of my wings doing their job–, as I note to myself to stray away from this place as soon as the bell to the end of afternoon clubs rings.

_I can't let anyone interfere at a time like this –well, considering that Asakura will spread it and it'll be the end of the world–, even though they can't see the demon itself…_

I swallowed the nervous feeling of the situation and my thoughts' doubts, but it did no good as more footsteps approached me, forcing more sweat to be outputted.

_W-Wait,… does that mean…_

The footsteps were louder, as if thunder was extracted from a lightning storm and was placed in this very area, but with a bigger impact that contributes to my heartbeats, which were louder by fear –the fear that's constantly gnawing away at my system in each interval of the second. At the same time, it felt like the sound waves were melting into my eardrums; they were deafening, fainting, and hollow as one.

_I-I… –n-no… – m-my wings… won't get seen by other people?_

Realization climbed into my system as fast as the time can go from one to two, shining me with a sense of relief –yet a small bundle of doubt lingering on the edge–, but that was only short lived as the half demon father came into my range of fire. His eyes were piercingly ready for craving the blood of his daughter –despite the heroic figure he built in the past in which he protected me the other day–, but I knew that focusing on that feature would only waste the needed participation in battle. So in exchange, I focused on hatred; I wanted my pessimistic side to increase my offensive attacks.

_**Die! **_

I could feel myself crushing his very soul –his head; his skull; his entire body– as I couldn't help but activate my reflexes in this to-be brutal battle of death.

Blades hurled at him, immediately imbedding themselves –and this is done with sheer force, probably nailing down a deep hole– into his flesh –thus this earned me a slight grin–, but he did nothing to stop me as if he felt nothing from the act of violence I performed on him. This strike me as to the reasoning of this sudden invulnerability, but before I could catch on the concept of 'dobbel ganger' (clone of someone, and in this case, it's father's clone), I felt the icy cold temperature penetrating my skull and arm –the arm that held my close combat weapon, the yunagi– in which its source was from my dad's hands –the claw seemingly and temporarily changed to a human's, or at least, for the time being. The grip was extremely tight –well, to the point where I can't tell whether I'm freezing to death or that I'm in a pool of cold water– before I noticed that other dobbel gangers were keeping guard of the situation –the one that I'm involved in, of course– as to prohibit the use of opposition. My wings were –well, unfortunately at this point– numbed, the reason being the sudden stabbing pain in the area of my spine, in which I'm assuming he injected some form of poison before successfully keeping me locked in his hold –a poison that is most likely an attribute to him as a demon counterpart. Thus, I could feel my wings shifting back into my body unconsciously, as if commanded by the poison and not by will. I quickly create tension between my teeth in how father's strength dominated mines –though age gap can truly show how much one can do, and in this case, the ratio between us are like twenty to eight.

I then tried glancing at Nagi, his eyes telling me that he was ready for the negotiation –yet I can feel like he's ready to pounce into action whenever necessary–, then to Negi, whom has been clenching his injured limbs –although in the process of being healed by his father, which delayed the time that could've been used to do something about father's sudden actions, but I don't fault them–, before noticing that the blades –pactio ones– were still held tightly and penetrated into the dobbel ganger –yet, he is not disappearing, making me ponder on how strong my father has gotten–, which will only tire me out further if I were to try getting them back into my position.

"So, what's this 'negotiation' about?" Nagi asked as he closed some distance between us –of course, after allowing Negi to rejuvenate from both shock and injuries–, which forced the guarding dobbel gangers to add to their defensive stance. I could feel the worrying stare of my partner, his eyes seemingly trying to stray away from the urge of outputting tears –though I can't really tell if the tears were for his father, for me, or for both–, before strengthening his hold on the staff.

"It's an eye for an eye: your son will be all safe and sound while his partner –my daughter– will be with me; it's a family matter that must be dealt with immediately even if she opposes to it." He spoke out as the weigh of his bind on me shifted so that I was pushed backwards, as if he wants to escape with me with ease.

_Crap…, how the heck am I going to get myself out of this… this… –how do you call it… – kidnapper's grip?_

I grounded my teeth again in fury as I tried resisting –though by his tough muscles, I doubt anything that I can do now will go near the definition of 'release'–, my limbs desperate to get rid of this suffocating atmosphere and the unbearable sweat –now a mix of my father's and mines– dehydrating me by the second. Yet this was proven useless, as I could only feel myself wasting precious physical strength, my arms feeling more weak and energy-deprived –maybe even desiccating–, before I settled down for a small moment of regeneration of my physique.

Throughout the time spent, I took another glimpse at Nagi and Negi –their conversation being deaf in this distance, as they seemed to be whispering–, noticing that Negi was at the same state he was in earlier: the brink of bursting out into tears. They shared many other signs of verbal and physical contact, but I could feel my father's patience diminishing by the second, his grips tightening more and the shivers of rage increasing by the second –no, maybe even milliseconds. Indeed, he did not look the same as my memory of his face –yet of course, you can't expect someone to have one personality judging from a one-time experience–, but I couldn't help but feel a small sense of protectiveness, the same feeling felt when I was little.

There was much more and less of what is heard next –though at this time, both of the red haired males seemed to have gone to a compensation, following up with a small pat on Negi's head and the whole teary yet jerky moments–, making me feel a bit of regret of my behavior towards my father –I did not fault him, however, but I just don't like the idea of how he wants me to be a full demon–, before wind took its toll and flashing me with supreme amounts of speed, swaying against the bushes, leaves, and eventually my hair.

The air molecules condensed in my direction, stinging my eyes for a second –though I had to blink to regain my posture– and it was this moment where everything that had kept me locked in was suddenly out of place, allowing me to be free of my father and eventually into the arms of Negi –whom had caught me the second after I was out of father's grasp. Obviously, this engraved a larger wave of heat between the both of us, as my limbs quivered along his own, somewhat relieved that I was in this position rather than the previous.

"No, I won't take on that offer."

In the midst of all this, there was a large clang between the fathers –thus pushing off a stream of air between their surroundings–, their gleaming eyes filled with hatred as both were struggling to dominate over the other with their position on lock mode. Nagi's weapon –though this is much of a surprise than an expectation– turned out to be a dagger that wielded certain amounts of chi and mana –of course, the only proof I've got of this was the radar in my senses–, a technique that was rarely used, or at least, in this century. However, in his other hand, there seems to be a small book –a book containing text that is assumed to hold a relation with the action he performed–, which is also another fact that I was surprised by.

_If he has a book, then it's probably a list of incantations –wait, does this mean he can't memorize them?!_

Thoughts were set aside as Negi –staff out of hand for some reason– landed on the ground –well, due from the height of which my father locked me in, which about a meter if not two–, but the position that he was in guarded my figure; his back faced the ground.

"Are you okay?" He questioned with altruism shining in his tone, in which the volume was a mix between a whisper and a normal chat, but it was audible enough for me to hear, so I didn't mind. However, my view was locked on his clothed chest as his arms –trained by Evangeline– kept its hold on my back, and with that, gravity took its toll as I was not much but an inch away from Negi's face. I couldn't help but feel a tint of impression of how much he has grown up –well, through physical strength– to this point, especially when he's just-a-kid.

"Y-Yeah." I slightly stumbled in my reply, half-noticing the fact our position was more or less deemed as intimate –our position equals him on the bottom and me on top of him, not to mention that I'm right on top of 'him'–, which is probably the dream of a pervert. However, I did not fault the scenery –though of course, this is the I-don't-know-what-maybe-the-seventh time that our faces are lit up like blood piercing the air– as I knew that a pervert's intentions did not match up with the face of this young man.

_Then again, this makes me wonder how many little kids are exposed to these types of situations without being blamed for it…_

"T-That's good." As if the stuttering transferred to Negi, he too had trouble with his reply, his Adams apple –though not as formed as an adult's– twitching to show his nervousness of the situation.

But the warming atmosphere did not last long, as I sensed a huge wave of raging chi and mana collapsing into the area, and piercing almost everything around it –though it's collision is targeting the air.

And let's just say the direction of the offensive wind tantrums is charging its anger in our direction.

_Crap!_

Without the help of my wings –numbed and unable to use for a short time, as I had assume from the remembrance of reading a few books about the crow tribe in my past–, the only actions I can performed include dragging both myself and Negi to a nearby tree. And unfortunately, like how Nagi performed his role, strategies in my mind didn't output the results that I had expected in the situation.

Instead, Negi raised his hand out to the right –the direction opposite of the battle–, the blue liquid-like string becoming visible as it dragged back the supposedly missing staff, which was only shown to be a couple meters away from our position –near the bushes. Upon taking the wooden staff into his hold, more blue substances rose –this time from the tip of the staff– as it increased in both height and width, successfully forming into a human figure –not to mention that this 'human' is a Negi dobbel ganger.

This dobbel ganger then became visibly enough to look like a complete clone –colors and shade with no hint of blue–, as he held his staff in an offensive stance, with his lips parting to unleash his incantation.

"Magic archer! A warning wind arrow!" The dobbel ganger called out as air molecules solidified into orbs –about a size of a tennis ball–, gathering around his hand and finally outputting against the winding impact of the battle between our fathers –of course, as their fighting level heavily differs ours, it's not unexpected that something like this would occur.

Clashes of wind propelled each other and finally kept the H20 tamed and neutralized, and with this, no one would be getting scratches nor cuts at this point –thankfully. But on the other hand, who knows how long the attackers can fight, which only encourages more wind-related blows towards their surroundings and eventually to our position, and even worst, the area where the students walk through in their daily lives –not to mention afterschool activities are almost at their limit.

Nagi seemed to take a note of this –told from his eyes, that is–, and carefully made his way deeper into the forest –away from the building– while continuously outputting chants and mixes of both close combat and magical spells usage, a style that is astoundingly rare in my experience –or at least, from Konoka's dad experience, in which his story passed into my mind.

At the same time, the clashes were getting dimmer as our fathers' figures were smaller and farther away, allowing us to recover and –if possible– join the battle. The dobbel ganger then returned to Negi's staff –thus color turning blue and finally dropping down into the maple wood of the staff–, as I couldn't help but feel impressed of what he has done just now, allowing the same visible redness to occupy my features. On the other hand, I hurriedly got off of him –his constant pants and stressed-up expression showing that he was clearly tired from the energy usage, and if I were to contribute, it wouldn't be a good situation either–, which helped him to breathe with more ease. There was a small trickle of blood alongside his left wrist, which was probably due to the gunshot that was triggered by my father –though it doesn't seem as bad, considering that Nagi healed him–, staining a little bit of the dirt with its reddish glow. The trail of blood that was on his chin was probably wiped out in the process, resulting in visible areas of slight redness along his cheek. I then took this small moment to analyze myself for any injuries, shifting my vision downward to catch sight of the same blood-like color on myself.

There were large cuts on both of my arms –the cloth ripped to show the noticeable red line stretching from my wrist to my elbow–, small bruises on my knees –though not serious–, and scrapes along my right ankle. I note to provide myself bandages for those areas later on.

Adjusting his position so that his chest is facing the ground, Negi pushed himself up, his body embellished with some dust here and there –yet, there were some clothes that ripped, making me wonder how in the world he'll fix it when it's a teacher's exclusive suit–, as his body quivered while committing this action. A small cough escaped his mouth, forcing his hand to block himself from the blood sprays, which are prove through the droplets of blood on the floor that were flowing through his fingers.

"Y-You okay? You're bleeding a lot." This time, I took the role of asking him, as his condition was more severe than mines, which was all the more reason to place him in a higher priority than my own health.

He responded by raising his head up –one eye opening as the result–, and weakly nodded, which only drove my altruism meter further as I tried balancing him, my hands –not as if to cajole– patted against his back and chest, in which I could feel his muscles tensing up on my touch. His expression –much set on pain earlier– was then adjusted to the definition of innocence, the smile –yet I can tell that it's fake– forced into his features despite all the damage he had endured.

"Don't worry; I should be fine once I recover from my magic bandages." There was a slight pause in between what he has spoken and what he has yet to deliver verbally, as he quickly diverted his view away for a cough that was probably held in for a long time. As a result, further appearances of the color red manifested on both Negi's hand and the ground –the dirt. "My father's healing technique is rather temporary –or at least, that's the quickest healing spell he can perform–, so there isn't much time before the symptoms would act up again. Unfortunately, the gun shot got through my mana vessels, which forces a slight disruption within my body's overall mana supply, and that explains for my–"

Occupied with his cough –the source that interrupted his message–, which came out stronger than the last, I tried soothing him down, allowing him to sit and rest for a small moment.

_At this rate, if the students come over here and find us like this –including Mana's shooting, though I highly doubt anyone would fret over her habits–, this won't end as well as a simple turn-and-go situation._

A huge shock waved over me, as my senses sharpened, my eyes catching the flow of the chi –of course, it isn't visible, but I can feel it in the direction of my sight–, and finally bringing me the more reason to find my sword –probably meters away towards the battle–, but the flow hastened towards me, sparing me no time to even take a step.

Roars can be heard from a small distance, following with the rumbling between bushes, and eventually the energetic appearance of the demon –probably of the one of many that Mana was hunting down–, matching the face of a bull except with sharper teeth and terrifying red eyes. He wielded a bludgeon as a weapon, and held it in a position like he was swinging it towards me.

_C-Crap, I almost forgot about them…  


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Author's Notes (4/25/10): Okay, I lied about the earlier date of release ;[ STAR tests are coming and it's going to be one heck of a week (ugh, why did they have to put English on the first day? T^T Not to mention History the day after it .;;), but rest assured I will continue to type out the next chapter xP It's just that the more stress I gain from the upcoming tests (in this case, the STAR ones), the more lazy I would get (it's like "Noooo! It's tmrw, and this is this, and that is that, and -blows up and lands into MCII world-" [and if you know what it stands for and the details about it, then you know what I mean when I say that MCII has the best soundtracks! ;D]). Now anyways, here we got another good o' cliffhanger. Kinda cliché? Stupid? Whatever? Just gimme your opinions and I will be satisfied with my day tmrw (seriously, each review I get gives me all the reason to blow up the world and replace it with Negi and Setsuna doing…. Ummm, never mind, forget what I'm saying. It's like freakin' night and I'm really tired and I feel like I'm on crack and I'll just go headshot someone now -steals one of Mana's MSAW's-). Ummm… what else… mmhmm…. -thinks hard for once-… oh! Did you guys get a chance to see my written A/N? ;D ( s43[dot]photobucket[dot]com/albums/e367/lilfriend400/?action=view¤t;=AuthorsNotes[dot]jpg ). Now…. Mmhmmm… –R&R!

Edited (4/26/10): Alright, took a nice 20 mins through this chapter. Now read what's underneath and I'll be satisfied for the day.  


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Oh yeah, you know when there are actors in a drama they would be all fake crying, doin this and that, and then they'll be a whole 'nother person if not slightly different after the assigned scene? Let's just say that applies to this fic~ ;D Now here we go~! (Btw, the actor's names are made up, so don't go all technical and such on me DD;)

Me: Cut, cliffhanger scene #69 is freakin' completed

Kana (actor of Setsuna and Kyochi's [Negi] older sister): Phew, I really had to put in my all when that 'monster' came out. My gosh, you have no idea how much I wanted to roll on the floor and laugh at that costume.

Tsuke (actor of 'monster' or the demon): -takes off mask- Well thank you very much for your opinion. As a matter of fact, I was on the verge of suffocating in this mask and was about to destroy this costume itself. It's just plain ridiculous how they designed these stuffs.

Me: Hey hey hey, follow my totalitarian rules and you'll be fine. Now don't go blaming on my l33t arts unless if you want to get headshot -grabs an MSAW from Mana's collection-

Kyochi (actor of Negi and Kana's [Setsuna] little brother): Um, we shouldn't get violent here…

Me: Shut it down your skin bro. I ain't gonna be spellbound by your childish glee. In fact, whenever I see that expression, it makes me want to kill you more than when I saw my old pup down the road.

Kana: Hey, my lil bro did nothing wrong. He's only eleven for goodness sakes.

Me: More the reason to kill, my homegirl. -plays with the tip of the MSAW then licks it- It's more the reason… hehehe…

Kyochi: W-Wah… -gets closer to Kana for protection-

Me: Hehe, I can't wait until you guys get intimately together. It'll be incest if you do get together in RL tho, HaAhAHaHa!

Kana and Kyochi: WHAT?!

Me: It ain't called "romance" for nothing, my bloody o' homies. Just go with the flow and you'll probably be together and -bleep- ing three times a day.

-world blows up-


	19. Father Pt 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've changed Mana's weapon to MSAW already.

Replies (to anonymous users):

..... – _"keep up the gud work"_ Ah, ty for reviewing ^w^ I will continue to do my very best~!

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Not bad at all! You always have the power to make me enjoy this even more, I wonder what ideas you got in your mind? Asuna: It better not be perverted! Me: You got nothing to do with this! Asuna: Just you wait! my time will shine! Me: your just a paper girl...(lol)BTW I do have an account with this name but I cant be asked to log in!" _Yay~ I am glad my piece of work is keeping you entertained \^w^/ And Asuna…, (for all bloody goodness sakes as you can tell from what I said in the conversation with the actors) …-grins- Then again, I can't tell for sure if I have enough experience to do so, since -cough-ecchi-cough- seems to be one of the hard points to get right without being all cliché and overrated xP Well, I'll try my best when the time comes~ ;3 (prob move the rank up to M when I reach that part…hehehe)

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The creature, the deformed looking beast in front of me, with vicious fangs and horrific claws was just moments away from pushing me into a path of death. And at this very second, I –for the very first time in a long time– have felt entirely helpless and freaked out to the point where I can't do anything but stand there to be decapitated –yes, decapitated for goodness sakes.

Well, if it wasn't for the blasting gunshot, its shrilling crushing blow that resonated into possibly everyone's ears, as if cutting the air with mountains of sound waves that exceeded both the definition of hertz and the human hearing range. Of course, I could feel myself deafening through this second, the following echo of the loudness piercing into my eardrums, but that was before I caught onto the sight of the blood…

…demon's blood.

It was splattered on the floor, the dirt, the tree, and especially on the source: the figure of the demon itself. There was blood trickling down from the head –however, it's considered a headless head since it suffered a 'headshot'–, the fluids reaching down to its shoulders and eventually towards the leather and steel armor, not to mention the fur in which the color red had dyed its pathway through. Like a rag doll with no support, it fell to the dusty ground, limbs swaying with the gravity and wind, as there was nothing left but the thud of this now declared corpse.

I swallowed for a second, before turning slowly to the right, the direction of the comrade that has been fighting all these minutes –no, in terms of how it feels, I would say that it felt like hours–, in which I caught hold of Mana's presence and her newly selected gun: Springfield, an American's sniper rifle. She looked a bit tired if not injured and bruised, her breathing slightly irregular as oppose to her usual callous-like one, the one that makes her seem like she isn't breathing at all.

Her eyes were solely concentrated on the scope, which yielded its path towards my direction, before swiftly pushing it aside, thus allowing me to see her from eye to eye despite the distance between us.

"You okay? You don't seem to be yourself today." With a question and a comment escaping her mouth, I couldn't help but feel like her words were going right through my flesh, as if at least seventy-five percent of what she said was entirely correct. Now that I think about it, I did not expect myself to feel out of place today, especially since I just recovered from a state in which I've been poisoned.

_Then again, that isn't an excuse for my behavior today, …hmmm…, maybe I'm just out of it…?_

"Probably." I nodded back to her, my eyes now focused on the ground, but the silence that grew on the situation was the thing that bothered me the most, its constant circulation of air and nature mixing and brewing itself like a mask that's covering the future.

After a small pause, Mana then continued, "The demons seemed to be receding back. It might have something to do with your father."

I blinked at what she outputted as I performed an inward sigh, taking place in my mind with the quote 'It's over on this end', as Mana seemed to take this time to pack up what's left of her machinery, including the MSAW, M19, and other guns and gadgets she must've packed into her inventory. Well, not that I would want to know just _how _she can pack all of them in there.

Turning back to the wounded Negi, his eyes now fully closed as a slight cut became visible along his eyelid, which worried me more to the fact that he was on the brink of losing his consciousness, as hinted from his actions. The tearing mark was only horizontal and didn't touch his eyebrow, in which its length was about two inches, and with this information, I took note to place the bandage on that area when he sleeps –or at least, if I'm awake to do so.

Trying my best to carry on the act of relocating to nearby trees as temporary shelter, I astutely chose the set of trees near my sword, which has been out of my hands for the moment between my father's hold and now. This didn't take long, but with the injuries I've suffered, there was the insinuation of a challenging test to overcome when executing this. However, it was the least of my worries, as the sight of the demon's corpse puzzled me with its laying head, its laying body and blood on the floor untouched by the world.

Settling down Negi to nearby trees and bushes, his breathing still speedy and unordinary, as blood, now at a slower speed, continues to flow down his petite skin and body; he was still bleeding. I took this time to snatch back what's been mine, the yunagi, and brought it back into its shell, which has been holstered as a strap on my shoulder for some time between then and now, thus making a small clap sound to show that it was tightly secured.

Pointing my vision to the demon, my mind was soaked with realization, as this was surely an enemy I've haven't encountered with before; the corpse did not shatter into white cracks nor dust, laying there like a human being that has been torn from reality. I then looked back to the direction of where the demon came from, and noticed there were corpses laying everywhere, just like this one –personally headshotted by Mana– that's not that far from me right now. Thankfully with the concept of demons and their appearance with normal humans, there won't be trouble when it comes to cleaning these opponents out, since they're deemed nonexistent except for the minds of mages and other magical beings.

"Hey, Mana." I called out to her, allowing her to revert her callous expression toward mines on cue. "About these demons–"

"Yes, I already noticed." Cutting my starter sentence off (on the other hand, I personally didn't want to finish my sentence), Mana spoke as if she didn't needed to be lectured with a particular subject twice. "They were probably allies of the demons that we've normally fought with, or something else that could be possible. Since they're attacking us, we're attacking them. Fair and square."

I wanted to part my lips for a second, but closed them almost immediately, slowly biting them down in thought. My grip on the holster strap, which has been slightly cut up but not damaged as much to make it snap apart, had tightened while seeps of sweat poured into the space between my fingers and the hard cushion of the strap.

_Then… –if possible…– were they our allies? And they saw us as beings that betrayed them, as if we were guards of my father?_

Suddenly, the sound of the bell rang throughout the campus, signaling all afterschool club members to gather up and head either back home or the campus's dorms. I felt like my heart stopped for the second, as if the organ itself wanted to do it by will, but I didn't falter when I turn back to Negi.

Unfortunately, as his eyes were closed, it seems that he had either passed out or fell asleep. Generally speaking, I didn't expect him nor wanted him to act like a dead man, yet I can't help but peer into his innocent little face at the moment. Aside from the fact that he had gain bruises and cuts here and there on his features, his breathing was now well rounded, which relieved me just a bit, and his limbs and facials looks relaxed.

_C-Cute… –w-wait! Why the heck am I still staying here? What about the battle?_

Keeping myself occupied with other issues, I seemed to avoid the temperature raise –or at least, by twenty or ten degrees–, the footsteps padding down the walkway being the immediate noise that brought my attentiveness up, allowing me limited time to get my own stuff together and 'head home'. Mana seemed to be taking this just as seriously as any person-involved-in-magic would, even going to the point of signaling herself a 'dismiss' or 'retreat' message to us through hand motion (she also told us that she'll be delivering Negi's stuffs and Konoka's groceries to our dorm room), but I knew that if I don't disband this session soon, I wouldn't be able to get to the dorms just as easily as Mana would.

Well, let's just say, on the optimistic side, things did turn out good in the fight.

Nagi, previously fighting as furiously as dad can, was covered in bruises, cuts, and wounds –some seem to be bleeding in the process–, but that didn't seem to bother him as he approached me (of course, this is taken place in an area less known to be seen, a.k.a. the forest section), his hand holding a folded piece of paper. His facials still held that smile of happiness, as if it could be transferred to other people (ideally me at this point), which froze my body in immense heat; his mature yet childish expression still clung its way into my mind, filling me up with thoughts of the 'future' Negi.

"Haah, your father was a pain in the butt…" Scratching his head light-heartedly with his vacant hand, he spoke out towards me, his smile between pauses never leaving nor etching away from his face. The hand with the folded piece of paper reached out to me, its atmosphere welcoming yet offering. "Here, you should take this. Your father told me to write it and give it to you."

I tried to say something at first, but grounded my teeth before I could finish, using only physical movements to do the talking; I slip my hands around the paper, accepting it without hesitation. My heart still throbbed harder as I done this, before I took this chance to finally output something through tone and voice.

"T-Thank you…" Slightly stuttering, I retrieved what's given to me, my hand's sweat embedding itself into its new home: the paper. I then bowed with respect, knowing that this is indeed the thousands master himself, as I couldn't help but feel dizzy from the blood rushing to my head –well, just for a bit, that is– before raising my head with a small smile on my face.

"N-No, it really isn't that much…" Nagi, looking embarrassed (oh for bloody goodness sakes, that's a first), laughing along as a follow up to his message, his personality and habitual instincts reflecting the opposite direction of Negi; Nagi was like the antonym of Negi.

A small force weighed upon my head, my eyes quickly adjusting to the source on cue, as I found out that it was Nagi patting my head. This only resulted in an outburst in terms of temperature, embellishing my face with its pink-like yet red-like blush, as if I had gone to a sauna that raised its temperature level to five hundred degrees (I'll probably die if that happens, though). The moment of silence, with the exception of the footsteps, continued on for what seems like forever, but in reality, it was a mere ten seconds.

"Well, considering that you're already Negi's future bride," That line of his nailed my feet on the ground, numbing me for the second for the fact that he spoke of me as if I was already a part of his family. Of course, to think that this is coming from Negi's father, I should be glad to receive such a welcoming bond at first sight.

"Be sure to take good care of him, alright? You have my blessing." His hand then receded back into its former position, as the rising temperature calmed down, allowing the wind to reclaim its role as the cooler. He then blinked, his body also well alerted and synced, before grabbing his staff from behind his back. Judging from this, I assume that he too held a back holster strap.

"Oh yeah, I still have a little mana left. Mind if I heal your wounds?" Questioning, he laid out his hand, ready to discharge whatever he needs to successfully rid of my sufferings on given permission, and of course, I gave in almost immediately; I nodded. As I approached him, his expression still held the smile, yet it felt like he was concentrating on something, probably on his healing incantation.

With his gentle fingers, despite the bloody injuries, coiling around my arm, he pressed against the cloth towards my shoulders to make room for the skin to be shown. He then turned it around, revealing the bloody cut that I received from either the sharpening of the wind, or the roughness and aggressiveness of my dad. All in all, Nagi muttered out his words –words that are completely out of my range of deciphering, yet I feel like that's the only thing that's holding everything together. Slowly, bit-by-bit, ease and comfort flew back into me, as if I was rewinding a tragic fate that has been dooming me from the start. The blood that licked the skin still remained, but I know that I can wipe it off later, most likely the time when I go off to take another shower. On top of my arm, which is in the process of being healed, is Nagi's hand along with some blue substances, the type of style that was used when Negi use his mana as weapons.

_A-Awesome…, so Negi can also heal people if he were to be at his father's level too…_

Minutes passed by, the footsteps now lowering in numbers, as Nagi switched from my arm to my other limbs that were in pain, and with that, I could tell why Negi's mom had loved this man as much as I would to Negi. He was indeed a good man, even with his light-hearted attitude, and as a famous mage, I couldn't help but sympathize with the jealously that might've arouse when 'fangirls' arrive to take the scene.

_Hmm, that's probably going to be happening to Negi and me too… –ah, that's not good…!_

"There." Concluding the healing session, Nagi raised his head and gave me another smile, a one of reassurance, a one of faithful concern. I swallowed down what's been left of my nervousness, and smiled back, this one of friendly thanks.

"S-So," I stuttered in the start of my sentence. "Are you going to be doing the same for Negi?"

His body shivered for a moment on cue, leaving me with the fact that he's probably used up for the day and also for the straightening of his smile's curve; he was still smiling, but it seems to be a smaller one of sorrow. "I apologize. If I don't get to the Dean soon and conserve my energy, I won't be able to go back in one piece and continue my journey."

Bowing, which will be the first time I'll ever be bowed to by a great mage, he dismissed himself, taking a few steps with his back to me, before turning slightly back to show me a genuine smile. Following the moment, there was nothing else but the wind, as his figure disappeared from view almost immediately, as if his body was lightning. I alone had already assumed that he could handle his own situation.

_B-But…, I wonder what this paper's purpose…_

I took a small look at the paper, its whiteness still pure to its color, and noticed there was something between the folds. Since it was folded in fourths, I opened just one part, revealing to be my pactio card along with the message 'Don't forget this' written next to it. I picked it up without hesitation, smiling at the image of myself, the picture that held key proof that I performed a pactio with Negi.

Speaking of which, he just woke up, his tone erupting into moans that gave out the way of redeeming himself from his unconscious state. As I turn to him, his eyes now half-opened, he quickly sat himself up like he was a lost dog in a forest of death.

"F-Father?" Were his first words that he uttered out, allowing me to assume that Nagi was still in his mind as the primary objective of his involvement with magic up to this very day. He then looked at me with a small tint of water in his eyes; he was tearing up. My eyes widened at the sight, before I tried to calm him down, rubbing his back and avoiding the areas of blood and bruises. His body shivered for a second, before he finally sobbed silently, his fingers trying to brush away his tears, before I closed him on my chest for him to unleash his feelings out. Holding him tight, despite his gender and how he could be deemed a 'pervert' for even being on my chest in the first place, I took this time to reminisce and think about anything that could get his mind off of his father.

_Hmm…, I haven't really tell him much of myself, have I?_

I look down to his red hair, now choosing this destination as the next place to soothe him, as I utter the words that I've haven't been using for a long while.

"You know…," I started out, his figure still throbbing. "Do you know the real reason why I hated my wings so much that I never want to talk about it?"

His sobs immediately stopped, halting like a car crashing into a subway, and raised his head up to me, his eyes shining with tears falling and rolling down his cheeks and to his chin. Some of them dripped to either the ground or my lap, but I didn't care about that as much as I care for his condition and health, as he shook his head slowly. His eyes were now lit with curiosity, the same type that beamed onto me whenever he would learn something new. I couldn't help be astonished by this view, and at the fact that he literally switched his mood.

_It's… sort of cute?_

_ **Of course.**_

Quickly ending the internal conversation with the beckoning atmosphere of reality, I then continued on my dialogue with as much courage I sought from my will.

"They thought that, because my wings are white instead of black, it's considered to be 'bad luck'." I could feel tears trying to well up on my end, the remembrance of how badly I was treated by the clan at near birth –though the only image that I recall from those times were the eyes of hatred among the demon crows, its rage demanding obedience like I was nothing but dust.

It was too late; I began breaking down.

* * *

Settling myself on the bed, the bed that has kept the near-sleeping Negi in its covers, I took this chance to look over the contents of the paper, as I hadn't done so through the time we had somehow gotten ourselves back into the dorm. We haven't done much when we got back, and besides the bandaging (Negi's half naked body when he's trying to bandage himself is… well, spectacular?), we had done our usual daily activities, including eating Konoka's freshly chosen veggies and steak. Speaking of Konoka, she had also gone over to our dorm room and hung out with us for a few moments, and is now busy with her roommate in her dorm room.

I looked at the maple clock, the ticking echoing in the silence, as it read 9:54 PM.

Sighing, I touched my hair –now straightened instead of ponytail, which is what I would tend to prefer when not battling– to make sure it's not wet (I get headaches when my hair is wet and laying down on something), and when I found out that it's dry enough to sleep on, I made sure the pillow that I'm sleeping on is sideways and leaning on the bed's frontal component. With my back now against the cushion, I turn back to the piece of paper, unfolding it to reveal the words written by the thousands master.

It read:

_'Hey, how are you doing? You have no idea how much I've waited to see you, let alone battle you. You've improved much, but there is much more you'll need to be concerned about regarding your fighting style, stance, and the switch between offensive and defensive. But then again, why am I to send you a lecture about this? I will not waste my breath on such unnecessary words, so I will reveal this letter's purpose._

_ I am sent by a guy named 'Fate' (however, this is after he sent all my good men), who came to our beloved town a few days before your mother gave birth to you. At that time, however, I had disguised myself as a full-fledged demon, and the same applied to your mother, though she had it harder than me. When Fate did come, however, he revealed information concerning the magical world and the human world, which is bizarre itself. I will assure you that the concept is vague to my mind, as I am not one of Fate's trusted men, but I will tell you that it relates to how human minds work that connects to magical creatures we see within our minds. He also blew the cover of your mother, whom has not been respected as my official wife, since our…, well, our 'time', was done both intentionally and sort of accidentally. It was also him that forced me to be his slave, knowing that he knew the relationship between your mother and me, and I had to abide to his wishes, allowing me to head the crow clan with a good reputation._

_ I will only say this once, for the fact that I may die at any moment due to the failure of my mission: Your mother is not dead. She may have given birth to you, but she had fled afterwards into who-knows-where. I alone am still pursuing her, but I cannot do it without going on solo missions that gives me extra little time. Please, for whenever you do see her (she has white hair that is dyed black, just like yours, and has golden eyes, which is quite rare among us, not to mention the same facial expression as yours), seek help and elaborated information from her. She will be a valuable ally, much like Nagi, and would probably level up with Fate in terms of power._

_ I'll say again that my time is limited, and will entrust you to your partner, Negi Springfield; you have my blessing on this. Don't make yourself a damsel in distress and start protecting the ones you love._

_-Khamsin Sakurazaki'_

A small gasp escape from my mouth, the overwhelming tears trying to blur away my vision again, as if crying was the only thing I can do at this point. With the fact that my father is at the brink of death because of a single failure, I couldn't help but feel sorry for whatever he's facing, be it torture, execution, or sacrifice, as I quietly let the liquid slide down my face and to the paper.

Almost immediately on cue, I felt a compelling force that brought me to a point where I must paid my attention to, as the source unveil itself to be Negi holding my vacant hand. Going to his eyes, though one is shut to let the magic bandage heal it, he gave me a hearty smile of reassurance, in which I respond to his hold with tightening my hand on his. This left me with a blush shining on my features, the same occurring on Negi's, as I then dart away my eyes to the table. I then, with the advantage of the momentum of a piece of paper, I threw it towards the wood of the table, allowing it to slowly fly on top of it. My hand, not holding Negi's, then went to the light switch that was near our bed (I just found out about this feature not that long ago).

"Good night." I said to him, letting the darkness envelop our surroundings as the moon that shone through the window became the only source of light left. Pushing the pillow back into place, I eased myself on the bed, hand still holding Negi's, as heat made its way through the time between now and then.

My eyes couldn't focus on the sleep, vision still lock on the ceiling, letting the moments pass like feathers on the ground, as the words muttered out from Negi were the ones that told me that I wasn't the only one in this difficult situation.

"Ummm, Setsuna…" I turn my head towards him, the light illuminating from his face, which identified his face and structure, as if shadowing was taken to a whole new level. His face was embellished with a visible red color, but it seemed to be redder than the previous said. However, the reason behind it was revealed almost immediately, as if someone blurted out his or her secrets.

"I…, I like you."

* * *

Author's Notes (5/17/10): Owch! Were you wishing that 'like' was 'love'? Heck, don't think like a teen/adult, think like a child!~ ;DD Of course, as Negi wasn't involved in 'love' as much, this is a good start, ain't it ….ish? xD Well, gimme your opinion whether it's too sudden, too late, or should've been 'I love you' instead, soooo, yep. Just some teary moments in this chapter, and now it's the conclusion to zeh father arc xP Heh… Oh yeah, I have to go to cram school (-cough-mom=-=-cough-) for 2 hours after my original school and yet, our original school got NWEA this week wahhhh! T^T But on the other end, I'm trying to apply for internships for the summer so that it's a beta reason for me to not go to cram school during the summer ^^;; Wish me luck~ R&R

Edited (5/18/10): Alright, I increased the length of detail in Negi's sobbing moment, so it should be finer xP

* * *

Me: Cut, cliffhanger scene #619 is now done~

Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): W-Wah…, that was embarrassing…

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister): Ummm, I do have to admit that it felt pretty awkward when you said those words to me…

Me: YAY~ Incest is the best~! Take your sister to the test!

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): Let's not go there. I don't want this to affect family issues.

Me: Eehhh? So what 'bout you? Kukuku…

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): H-Huh? Just because I got a big brother doesn't mean you'll pull me with him…

Me: Aha! So you do got a sibling!

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): Oh to Hell with him! He already got a girlfriend

Me: Hehehhee, so I assume you're jealous, no?

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): W-Wah? Heck no! What about Kana?

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister): Hey! Don't pull me in with you!

Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): Um…

-world blows up-


	20. Realization Pt 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've killed the harem genre and make it all nice and romance for Negi and Setsuna ;33

Replies (to anonymous users):

magi – _"sooo touching keep it up" _Yay~! Though you read my extremely-rushed-w/e-first-draft part, I am thankful that even this 'first' version was good enough for your taste~ ;33 and once again, yaaay~ ^w^ And soz for the late update .;; Last weeks of school aren't set in easy mode.

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"That was a great chapter, I don't mind Negi saying I like you, he needs more...courage. Negi:...what do you mean by that? ...moving on, the cliffhanger was funny, lol siblings! Keep going" _Haha, did I mention that I have an incest-in-anime/manga fetish? Well, esp for broxsis, I tend to like pairing up siblings whenever I get the chance to xPP mmeh…, but I thank thee for zeh compliment ;DD And for Negi…, well… xDD He just needs more of a something before I make him all ^/^ and such xPP And soz for the late update x.x;; Applying this and that for summer and upcoming seasons are well…, busying? xD

* * *

**Note: Point of view is now Negi's**

* * *

Those words that were embedded within me, though they were outputted with the regret, the regret of not complementing what had urged me to hurl my feelings towards her, were still –nonetheless– transferred into her mind. I, of course, felt scared, overwhelmed, embarrassed, everything that'll be the definition of true fear, because it was the first time I've gone through such an experience, such a dying event in my lifetime up to this very point: the present. Truly, I wished I would've said more than 'like', but there was still that little knot inside of me that revealed the words 'wait' instead of 'go on and confess', and with that, I kept our relationship standing with the title 'close friend' as the life stage –or at least, the life stage that we commonly refer to.

And so I kept holding her hand for the rest of the night, a mixture of our sweat, our temperature, our senses, almost as if we were connected to each other through a pure touch. It felt like an angel was coming over and hugging me, bringing me to the place called Heaven with its warmth, the welcoming type of warmth.

_Yet, after all that, why can't I bring myself to go any closer?_

I kept that question streaming in my mind for this entire night, as though I could feel our bonds tightening by the second through this touch, yet the echoing thought was still clinging for dear life for its acknowledgment in the process. However, I knew that, in this current time, I should at least worry less about my own self and carry on with the altruism, as that is included in what father had told me that very day.

_**-FB-**_

_ "Yo, how are you doing?" He etched out a smile, his hand raised near his shoulders with his elbow bent as a sign of a friendly greeting. On my side, however, I felt completely frozen in place as if there was a void that went through and inside of me. I couldn't explain how much I died to have his presence, his voice, his protection, to be right in front of me at this very moment. Yet, at the same time, I cannot help but feel like I was hallucinating the scene, motivating me to pinch myself, which only left me a pain-filled result; I found out this was not a dream._

_ "D-Da…" I tried to mutter out my words, tried to get any sort of sound out of my mouth (well, not any type of sound though, just the conversational one), but there was nothing else other than the start of the word 'dad' that formed through the use of tongue, throat, and lungs. He understood immediately by reverting his expression into a concerned and a slightly sorrow-filled look, and then lowered his hand down back to his lap as his eyes follow suit._

_ "Hmm, I assume you're doing quite well?" His eyes then bounced back up, now clinging on hope of optimism, but my expression remained a vague sense of shock of how much this isn't a dream. _

"_Here, look at all these bruises you got." As his hand reached out towards mines, I felt a sudden surge of relief in the area of pain, the pain that was previously brought into my system by the battle with Setsuna's father. I looked down to the source of what is causing this, and noticed that there were blue substances surrounding both his and my hands, encircling like the ocean around the aquatic environment. It seems that he too obtain the skills of a manipulator style fighter, the blue substances sending nostalgic senses to my brain, but at a higher level of course._

_ While doing this, in which took about thirty seconds to heal both my hands and knees, there were loud clangs and thuds following the sight of our opponent locking along Setsuna. I was astounded at first, wanting to try my best to get into the fight and beat the crap out of him, before knowing that that was the same thought that clung into my father's mind. His eyes were now to the troubling situation, filled with hatred that I've never seen before, or at least, not in my lifetime. Finishing the recovery of loss cells in my stomach's area, he then quickly whispered something into my ear._

_ "I will distract him for a moment. Make sure to get Setsuna to safety as soon as she's out of his hands." The word 'distract' didn't seem to urk my taste in comprehension, since it could even carry the definition of death itself, thus motivating me to interject with refusal._

_ "But–" I clenched onto his robe to stop him from proceeding, as he quickly interrupted my words._

_ "Don't worry, I won't die from this." His tone is now softer, reassuring me with the fact that he himself, as the thousands master, wouldn't be beaten so easily by a mere crow, before continuing on. "You already have another reason to live for, and it's not for finding me, but for protecting the ones you love."_

_ There was a small pause, before he added on more words to spare. "Forget about me after this battle. There won't be much time until I have to face __**him**__ again."_

_ And that was all that was left, his back now facing mines, as emotions strive to express themselves upon my face. The result was a teary path alongside my right cheek, in which I had quickly wiped away on cue of its arrival._

_** -FB-End-**_

_F-Father…_

The sight of the ceiling engraved itself in my eyes, its gray concrete-like texture never ceasing to leave its place until situations arise. There was a slight pain that gnawed itself into my brain as I had gotten up from my position, but nonetheless, I had made my way out of the blankets and onto the yellow cushion-filled carpet. For a split second, I felt as if I was missing something, probably like a piece of puzzle to a puzzle itself, thus making me pause for more seconds to come.

_She isn't here…_

I then looked towards the bed, completely wiped off of any presence besides its contents: blankets, pillow, and some leftover bandages that seemed to be messily laid out. Brushing off the thought that lingered in my mind, I turned back and continued through the room, before I felt something sticky on my face. My hand reached up to it immediately, its location near my eye, as I felt a paper-like surface gluing itself on that place. Grabbing it and pulling it off, the pain of a waxing tape concentrated on that very area, before realizing that the sticky substance left by the removal of the tape-like-bandage was the only thing left that bugged me for the rest of the morning. However, this did not prevent me from continuing my daily rituals.

"Ah… it's a Saturday… huh…" I outputted my words as a comment to myself, letting my hand drop to the remote that hadn't been touched since now. Curiosity had picked up when my fingers were in contact with the remote buttons, letting me run wild with the channels that were appearing in the screen. Cartoons, news, dates, contests, dramas, how-to's, all those features were fitting themselves into this box of display. There were many sorts of activities involved in these programs that sparked my interest, but that was only short-lived when other sorts of distractions came in (ideally at this point, they are called… um… commercials?), yet I didn't really comprehend the concept as I never quite involved myself in these sorts of technology these days.

Thirty minutes passed as I had continued to stare at the electronic device, vaguely understanding what's going on despite the fact that I'm constantly flipping channels (that's the only feature I found out in this remote… funny, no?). Yet, the priority of knowing where my partner is flew into my mind when I saw an anime episode clip of a person fighting another with a sword. I quickly turned off the TV, realizing that I should be questioning myself the whereabouts of her presence.

My eyes then lay onto the maple clock, its two hands revealing the time to be 7:10 AM.

_Hunh…, so it turns out I woke up earlier than expected…_

Finally satisfied with no regret of leaving the dorm (I think I explored enough of this place for today), I grabbed my other things, including my jacket, my –wrapped in bandages– staff, and a small roll of healing bandages for possible future situations. Opening and closing the door didn't take anymore than three seconds, as I locked it quickly by habit; I was getting used to how I deal with the stuffs.

"I wonder if it's about what I said last night…" I sighed, talking to myself while making my way out of the teacher's hall of dorms, and entering the escalator. Naturally, I would click on the lowest digit given, which is on the way to school, but this time, I decided to not overlook what I usually see in this situation. So I looked to and fro between buttons, realizing that there are thirteen buttons total, one of them –the thirteenth– being an exception from the rest. This was due to how the button was designed, as it held the coded 'R' instead of level numbers. And of course, letting my curiosity running free again, I pressed on that button with no hesitation; I wanted to know what it feels like to be on that level.

The ride up to the 'R' didn't take long, knowing that the teacher dorms were on level seven, yet I can't help but feel slightly impatient, my childish senses regaining their composure. Then again, I am a child after all; I can't deny my physical growth.

Ding.

It was the sound that signaled the end of the escalator's long journey, its monotonous bell never ceasing to alert me of my location in terms of levels. In this case, on the other hand, it was the level 'R'.

_Just what is level 'R'?_

That question was stamped with a huge 'answer' print on it, my vision grasping the hold of the steady-yet-wild wind, the pleasuring view of trees, and the wondrous sight of leaves flowing through the air; I was up on the roof that was consist of the environmental view. At the same time, I noticed that there was not only just leaves that are being picked up by the wind, but also feathers –white feathers of pure crisp delight. I could feel myself reddening as this reminded me of a certain someone, a someone that I could regard as my partner, a someone that I now have a reason to live for.

Pants and grunts were emitted, the sweat embedding her figure, as I noticed that she was swinging her blade, the yunagi, towards an unknown force. I couldn't seem to process why she would do that –that is, for a second–, but that questioning inquisitiveness was rid of when there were leaves that are sliced in half to also be flowing around with the wind. Then I realized, from that point onward, that she was desperately training herself, the reason most likely being what occurred yesterday.

"S-Setsuna…!" I found myself calling out her name –no, I found myself wanting to call out her name–, thus alerting her of my presence, not to mention the fact that she was close to being stripped if not almost naked, in which that fact would astound me just as much as it would towards her. She was wearing a small green shirt with a white letter 'T' on it, its length of cloth allowing only her stomach to be exposed in the midst of air. Clinging right next to the explicitly shown stomach was a set of camouflaged shorts with multitasking pockets, leaving her gorgeous slim legs bare to the human eye. Her wings were also outstretched, the source of the beautifying feathers, embellishing the sky with its color of white. I swore for a second that I felt myself getting… well,

…oddly excited.

_W-Whaaat? T-T-Th-at-at-at! Waaaahhhh! Noooo! Aggghhhhh!_

_**Hoho, that's a nice view.**_

"N-Negi?" As I was clutching myself for fear of what might happen if I turn back to see her, I couldn't help but picture her, parching her lips and saying my name in a questionable tone. I didn't know what to do in the moment when I saw that image, that very image that I shouldn't even be picturing in the first place (yes, **that **type of image), but I only felt myself wanting more of that, more of just imagination. It was that that made me feel so disgusted at myself, at how I somehow turned into this pervert.

_But why? Had what I said yesterday been the cause?_

"Negi…!" Bolting my head up, I darted my eyes towards the source that worded those very terms, heat surging back into my head like it's the only thing it can do. Setsuna, whom seemed to be worried about the way that I'm behaving, had now brought herself back to the ground, wings veiled back in. I felt disappointed at the fact that I couldn't see them anymore, but this did not keep me from drooling over this sight, the sight of her presence itself.

T-There's r-really… s-something w-wrong with me…ugh…

"You seemed very troubled." She informed me, her eyes slowly casting down in sorrow, before they finally leveled up with mines in a sudden bolting thought. "O-Oh! Is it because I left earlier in the morning? I-I was just trying to train myself since I haven't really gotten the time to do so, s-so…" Unable to finish what she was saying, she let the wind take its toll on the remaining time of conversation. Yet, in the midst of what she said, I could tell that her face was just as red as mines when our eyes are in contact. At this point, I decided to break this silence of nature.

"N-No, it's not really like that… i-it's just because I-I'm just worried that you were off somewhere dangerous…" I interjected, trying to get a sense of how I just outputted my message, my lips still shivering from the fear of messing up whatever I'm trying to say.

"I see…" Her tone was slightly off, probably due to the tiredness that she inherited through the training, yet she didn't seem to have faltered as much as I would normally have.

_C-Crap…, why do I feel like I want to say __**that**__ now?_

_**Because 'like' is not as powerful as 'love'; it's better to confess with 'love' than 'like'.**_

"S-Setsuna! I…!" I found myself calling out these two words, one of them belonging to the person in front of me, the other one to me. Of course, at this point, I no longer feel like caring about what I'm going to say next despite the possible future consequences that'll lie ahead (stupid inner voice, don't control me now!). These consequences can even include a huge fandom, and even a huge disputing fandom, not to mention those that might be interference. "I love–"

"Well, well, looks who here all awfully covered in sweat this morning." I felt like my breath has been caught up in my throat as soon as I heard Evangeline's voice, its tone wavering down at me like a parent smarting out a child. My heart thumped harder, the only sound that is heard along with Evangeline's words, as more blood seemingly began to rush themselves in my head. She chortled a bitter moment of laughter, somehow sounding like she was laughing out of someone's death, before she continued her sentencing pace.

"Hah, did I mess up your confession?" That question spiked me in my stomach, pain and agony surging through my very mind, before my face was embellished with the redness that I sought to rid of the moment that it was there. I was scared to bloody death, scared that I might've gotten a different impression from my partner as to how I am maturing through the days that we spend them, especially when I didn't want this type of feeling to occur so soon.

And so I ended up frozen in place, not daring to leave my eyes away from the ground, the ground that has bore the very scene of this situation, before I heard a small thud behind me. The most reasonable source of this sound is probably Evangeline, as she was previously interrupting my conversation with Setsuna from a higher location; she probably jumped from the roof of the escalator to the roof of the dorm.

"Hmph, too stunned to even move now?" I felt a sense of gravity weighing down on my head, knowing that Evangeline herself had pushed her hand on my skull, mocking me of my cowardice. I couldn't help but feel a small hint of killing intent, and the moment that I mention that is the moment that the weight upon my head vanished; Evangeline had finally staked her touch away from me. I turned around to know what was going on (thankfully, my curiosity held the better hand than my fear), before noticing that there has been something crawling out of my back. This substance, the oh-so-familiar substance, which has been with me since the start of my manipulation training, has apparently shown itself up on my very back and seemingly pulled Evangeline's hand away from my figure, its grip on her skin still tightening by the second. I'll let you know that I held entirely no control or any sense of consciousness of what happened right here, other than the fact that I held a 'hint of killing intent'.

_Just how the heck did a little killing intent invent this?_

"My, my. Now this is why you need my training to better control when you want your reflexes to pop out." Evangeline smiled as a string of purple color was inserted into my blue substance, yet I felt nothing in particular; there was neither pain nor sense of touch in what just happened now. However, that 'nothing' was short lived as the purple suddenly spread out in spikes, obliterating what was left of my rebellious blue substance, as the pain of a paper cut stinging jolted inside of me. I clenched my teeth for a second, trying my best to take on the damage with a straight face.

Evangeline then turned towards Setsuna, in which Setsuna seemed ready enough to chop off her limbs, her eyes blazing with fury at what occurred. Evangeline had responded back with a smile on her face, still smirking as ever (heck, wasn't she always?).

"This is good. Both of your eyes look good enough to fight each other." Those words shocked me for a second, making me (at this point, I assume Setsuna's having the same reaction) feel extremely uncomfortable yet I felt like I've grasp an opportunity that I haven't had the chance to ever grasp.

_Then again, we didn't have the time to do this at like…what? Since the beginning-ish?_

"Speaking of fighting each other, why don't you two do that? It's a great way to learn each other's weaknesses and to compromise them." The vampire continued, her grin wider, as she leaned on the wall of the escalator building, the building attached to the dorm in which it is connected to. "Let's do that as training."

I turned towards Setsuna, my eyes seemingly wanting to ask her if she was okay with it, considering that she was training herself earlier. My lips were parting, and closing, yet I can't find any sense of stability within me to bring up this topic.

Positioning herself into an offensive stance, she answered with a smile of confidence, the type of smile that immediately honed myself into my normality. Her sword, the yunagi, was held tightly in her hands, never ceasing to let it leave from her very skin. I took notice of how she was positioned immediately, allowing me to adjust myself with an advantageous stance –or at least, a stance that was suited to my taste.

My stance, as I spoke of, carried a sense of an attacker, in which my arm was pointing straight in order to get a point blank shot with my mana, and a sense of a defender, in which my other arm was faced sideways in order to block whatever that'll come onto me; my style was balanced between offensive and defensive. Feet now ready to pounce at anything, I allowed this time to be the time spent to get my mana together and fight.

Closing my eyes, I pictured an image (of course, I also held a thought of 'what is a weapon that can go head on with a sword?') of a sharper substantial object, finally utilizing itself into a form that's narrow to the tip. I kept streaming more thoughts questioning what would be considered as a deadly weapon when in comparison to a sword, not to mention a sword that can slice off a rock with ease.

It turned out to be a sword; a sword can fight head on with a sword.

I reopened my eyes, finding the same weapon to be in my very hand, the hand that was considered my offensive one. In almost a split second did I find Setsuna in front of me, knowing that I will need my reflexes to save me at this point, slashing her yunagi at my head. It was a definite blow that can probably rid of everything that was in the way, especially with the added effect of her words 'rock slicer' to contribute to the inflicting damage.

Finding myself no time to even counter, it was my mana that had done its thing on its own, the knives coming from my back to block the incoming shot. These knives, well, two mana knives to be exact, had swung themselves to form an 'X', which of course, defends me from the blow.

"Now you're doing it, boya!" Seeing the smirking vampire gathering up her smile at me was enough to send a small (well, at this point, I don't know what I'm thinking anymore) embarrassing blush on my face, the type that you never seem to expect; the killing intent inside of me was slowly diminishing as I challenge myself in this duel.

_Or is it only because of embarrassment?_

_

* * *

_

Author's Notes (6/19/10): I am terribly, terribly sorry for the delay. The final week of school has been very very VERY mind raping (yes, literally). I've been strolling back on forth on finals, college applications (for fall, and no, I'm not a senior; I'm getting more credits to make it better for me to get into college and a better diploma), my missing book (I had to constantly remind the librarian about it before school ends and to ensure that the record is off either by librarian or fee pay), my doujinshi/comic (unfortunately, I didn't have anymore time to get it printed out as a copy at school, so I'm going to have to stick to the library this summer, not to mention I'm also working on a new series this summer), and loada other crap. Again, please forgive me for my absolute lateness, as I hope that summer break would boost up my activity and releases for this fanfic, despite the cram schooling (for SAT), community service (at library for the hours I need at school), and art internships (in which I'm desperately applying for this summer). Anyways, I decided to add a little twist at the end so it'll be like O-O;; (in other words 'what? now Eva is in the harem?'), but mmeh, like I said, I'm developing the story as I write/type it, which seems to be the only method that could effectively cause speedy updates xOO Ummm, what else… –Oh! Have any of you guys heard of Gaia? xDD (I know, it sounds pretty funky, ain't it?) But yeah, after years of quitting it, I finally came back for a little reunion to see how things are going, and boy, I bet Gaia's going to face hyper inflation very very soon .;; Soooo, umm… ya, I'm a bit addicted to its Zomg game (it somehow reminds me of how I used to be obsessed with Maplestory xDD haha…), and if ya wanna add me, it'll be the username N4rut0-kun xP (Yes, the avi is a male because it's my second account [first account is hacked, all my precious orly, ufo, monkey, and all gifts that I spent nearly 24/7 to get are gone T^T] and I wanna see how it feels to have a male avi), and if you wanna meet my mule, it'll be Pikachu400 xP Sooo yaaa, gimme a nice little heads up in Zomg or forums, you can give me suggestions on the fanfic or just have a nice time with me, w/e. And since this chapter is pretty long, I hope the length of this compromise with the lateness, but w/e xP Anyways, R&R!

Me: Cut! Cliffhanger scene #1337 is now done~

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister): You gave us a lot of breaks in between the scenes, and I'm thankful for that.

Me: Uh, thank the school finals for that? Not that I want to give you guys any breaks in the first place…!

Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): Wait, you're not gonna be lazy during the summer?

Me: WhAT? Whadda ya think I am? A full grown lazy (bleep) (bleep) (bleep)?

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister) and Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): Yes.

Me: Well, you guys suck butt. Now as punishment, you have to kiss each other while doing an ecchi position! NOW!

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): Huhnn, I guess I get no punishment? Yaay~

Me: Now that you mention that, go get your brother over here and I'll start giving him work.

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): What? No! He won't even accept a simple 'hi' from me!

Me: Exactly. Now get him over here while I watch these two do hentai to each other.

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister): Wait wha? Since when are we doing hentai?

Me: Since 1337, blood. Haha, nah I'm joking, now kiss! NAOO! AND DO IT WITH MORE SEXINESS!

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister) and Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): -chu-

Me: More sexiness…

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister): -embraces Kyochi/Negi's actor harder-

Me: More sexiness…

Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): -grabs Kana/Setsuna's actor by the waist-

Me: Tsuke (Random demon's actor), gimme a camera.

Kana (Setsuna's actor; Kyochi's older sister) and Kyochi (Negi's actor; Kana's little brother): -breaks off- WHAT?

-world blows up-


	21. Realization Pt 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've blown up the world of magicians and replace them with demons, the good kind of demons… or is it 'good'? ;3

Replies (to anonymous users):

(space?) – _"wow that was a long POV hehehe but its still great"_ Well, I didn't really want the lateness to really bother much of the folks whom been waiting for this chapter since 1337, soooo yep, another boost to its length and I hope that it's good enough… or is it? (I like this line ;3)

GaoGar – _"I way Negi confessed his feelings, and he is regretting why didn;t he used 'love' instead of 'like'. And it's funny to see Negi 'oddly excited' by Setsuna's figure. -Update soon- -God's Speed-"_ Sorry, it took me a little while to get what you're saying, but I thank thee for the review ^^;; Haha, one of the reasons why I used his point of view is to emphasize on the events that occurred in the last chapter, or what you would call the 'confession'. Of course, as it's his first time experiencing it, wouldn't he be worrying about it (how he said 'like' instead of 'love') since it's his first time doing such a thing? xD And yes, Negi being attracted to Setsuna's figure is another step closer to what his inner self wants ;] Hehe, Negi's experiencing early puberty!~ Nah, I'm just joking haha xP …or am I?

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"I loved the chapter, I loved the ending part. You: KISS NAOO! Me: Umm...Is that a bit...yknow...overboard? they bro ans sis You: NONSENSE! MOOORE! Me: Sigh, you never change. Please dont ^^ lol, keep going!" _The chapter was good? ;DD Yaay~! Of course, as I have a broxsis incest fetish, I tend to go crazy when it comes to that part ^^ haha. So yes, if Negi and Setsuna were to be intimate in the chapter, think about them as bro and sis actors and what they're thinking inside xOO And don't worry, hopefully this summer wouldn't be much of a pain in the butt as last year's…, or will it…?

* * *

Not much but ten minutes had passed since I last saw my master's face, her smirking yet encouraging expression seemingly building up the intensity of heat within my face, knocking whatever that was left in my system for a split second. Yet the aftermath of this event did not stir up a good sign, as being distracted is one of the many obstacles needed to overcome with as soon as detected, sending in a whole set of patterns regarding the art form of the sword, that is, smacked into my face.

_**-FB-**_

_"Hunh? Since when did boya start getting loose?" The comment was slightly provoking, but I did not falter when the cut –unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention whilst the sword was swinging at me this time– laid itself on my chin, its gnashed up mark seemingly like a scar that's never to leave its place. The following attacks, however, did not give me much time, as I feel myself hurling my mana to cover my entire body, covering it like a coat to skin. This did block whatever that came next, but it was not a type of move that can easily be turn on and off like a light switch._

_ Now glancing onto Setsuna, her eyes now more serious as ever, sparked a sense of a message, as if she was transferring the words 'act like you're fighting for real' into my very brain. Acknowledging the message, I then proceed onward, looking only onto her figure, her stances, and the arcs in which she makes with her weapon._

_**-FB-End-**_

"Rock slicer!" Were the words that she called out again, the indication in which struck me with a sense of alert, forcing me to recoil away from my position, and thus sending her blow to the concrete ground (I'm thankful I didn't just got hit with that). I could feel my sweat rolling away like the rainy weather, my hands now soak as I kept my hold on my weapon, before I swung its piercing tip towards her, knowing that every opening is an opportunity to an even better outcome or an even worsened outcome. Nonetheless, I was still doing _something_ to keep me going on my toes rather than an awaiting attack from my opponent, which is likewise to the choice between risking my life and dying.

However, it turned out it was the latter outcome, as she carefully laid out the trap like expected, her eyes now capturing my move on cue. She then, with the hold of her yunagi, rip away what's left of my mana sword, and flinging it out of the way as it disperse back into my system within a certain time interval. In the midst of this moment, she then took this chance to fixate her following attack on me, knowing that I am now 'off guarded', as I felt myself beading out my sweat for another move that I can make at this point.

_ N-No! I won't lose!_

I found myself manifesting another mana sword in the same palm that held the previous weapon, allowing me to block her attack with precise timing. This sent me a shock wave of force, her attack concentrated with her killing intent, as our strengthening ways entangled each other into a sword lock.

"Good, good. Now if you were to do that in an advantageous way…" Hearing my master say that sparked an idea within me, as if her very words were the key to what I needed to use next, before the sword lock was propelled against me.

_I…I need more swords…!_

Hurling away from my back came a set of other knives, their bluish substances transforming into a silver blade of offense, as they stabbed away the position in which Setsuna was at, or at least, where she was previously at. Of course, she dodged them with ease, but her own speed was decreased when I found another knife coming out of one of the already manifested set of knives, striking a cut mark on her leg.

_E-Eh…?_

Slightly shocked that my reflexes are also in play, I couldn't help but feel a sense of achievement as well as disappointment at how my killing intent could also push me **this** far. I wanted to note to myself to apologize Setsuna for my reckless actions, knowing that injuring a comrade before the actual battle between foes and friends is not much of a good decision in the first place, before a whirling blow of wind tackled my front edge.

_W-Wait…, d-don't tell me that she…_

"Chaos of a thousand flowers!" She called out another one of her sword techniques, this time ridding of my mana swords along with a few shreds of my torso clothing, which much astounds me as to how fast she can recover in such a short time.

_C-Crap…, or maybe she was trying to look for a really good timing to break through my guard…!_

Now temporarily out of mana for the moment, I couldn't help but feel like everything's been out of my reach, out of my hands like I lost something very important to my survival. Thankfully, I had kept a small pocket knife on me in case if situations were to befall on something as panicking as this, before whipping it out and striking her blade, making a small 'tissk' sound against the metal. I noticed that the tip of my portable knife was the part that was in contact with the yunagi's blade, forcing much of my strength to keep this balanced. Slightly surprised at my actions, she did not falter when a round of other knives whisk through the wind towards my leg, motivating me to push away from that position.

"Adeat." She spoke out in a monotonous-like tone, yet there was a hint of her determining aura within that voice, as I then jumped to the edge of the elevator building to ensure that I wasn't in danger, especially when I have no clue where she was targeting her blades at.

Regaining my mana channels, I then took a small pause of thought (of course, whilst dodging the projectiles that were hurling at me), knowing that I can change the form of my mana into almost anything, before a small sense of realization overcame my mind.

_T-That's it…!_

It was not the quality that I had to always focus on, knowing that my mana is quite limited if not the average amount of an apprentice, but it was the quantity in which I had to manipulate in a way that can throw the enemy into a corner and eventually defeat that enemy. So in other words, I didn't need to make it so that the sword would look real, but rather, I have to make it so that the damage is inflicted; sight is not what's important, but it's the touch.

Conserving the rest of the mana with my new logical thinking, I then summoned a couple of the mana blades, their color now remaining blue instead of the regular silver texture, as they clashed along the other knives that were previously trying to scratch me with their violent attitude. In the midst of this moment, I took this time to finally have a proper sword fight whilst keeping the other blades at bay with my own projectile ones, knowing that it'll probably take a load of mental capabilities to handle both that and what's to come next. Sweating as I done this, I didn't hesitate when I finally lock my twin swords against her yunagi, our passion of winning against one another keeping the spirit within the atmosphere.

It was tough doing this whilst controlling the mana blades, as I struggle to focus on ensuring that both my offensive and defensive were in stable condition, knowing that Setsuna is probably enduring the same difficult situation as mines. With our main weapons still holding each other down, another idea struck in me, as I knew that we're at plain stalemate if we continue on this madness of a tie, which is more or less appealing to my taste at this point.

_I… I could create something else behind my sleeve…! However, the question is… am I able to handle it with the control of my other projectiles and the situation in front of me…?_

This thought echoed again in my mind, begging me for a choice of action before the situation would get into the enemy's advantage, as stalling time would only encourage a move from the latter, which is obviously not what I would be needing at this minute of desperation and despair. Finding myself with a bugging sensation on my tongue, I tried gulping that in, hoping that both the physical and mindful nervousness would go down the drain in as less time as possible.

_I… I must focus…_

Channeling with as much energy as I can process through within me, I drawn myself a focal point in my mind, a type of placement that'll allow me to properly form a composition of mana. This then followed with the construction of other placements of mana, as they began sticking to each other like glue, its very figure honed right behind me as a way to do a small 'sneak attack'.

An ongoing formation of sweat streamed down my forehead, the concentration of creating this 'sneak attack' contributing to the mental stress in my brain, as I knew that too much usage would equal an easy malfunction in the way that I handle the situation in the present.

_N-Now…!_

Finalizing my remaining corners of this piece, this figure in which I made had quickly adapt to my orders at cue, his features and quality set at a low setting, yet its outline was assured to be thought as my clone. Noticing Setsuna's surprised expression was enough to give me yet another point of achievement in showing her my capabilities when it comes to both knowledge and skill. Of course, if it was not for this new addition, we would've been either playing stalemate all day or somehow continue on the battle, as I commanded this 'clone' (I also equipped him with a sword) to strike at its enemy.

Whilst this new ally did his thing, Setsuna had also took actions to counter out this unbalanced scale of offensive and defensive between the both of us, as she unleashed her wings with much desire to dodge from this figure. I knew that something like this would happen, my predictions setting on this very scene, as I grasp the wooden handle of my staff that was previously holstered on my back. Using the power of a regular mage, I too had made myself float on the air with this tool, standing on it as I progress my own 'clone' at it.

A surge of pain suddenly cave in at my leg, giving me barely any time to recuperate as the 'clone' was swinging his sword at her, allowing her to slash away at its torso.

_N-No…, I-I must concentrate…!_

Focusing my mana on that figure again, I made it so that he regenerated his body with ease, continuously striking his weapon at her as she blocked them with the same amount of speed, except with little amounts of delay (she looks a bit tired at this point, and I highly doubt that it was just for show). I then took this time to slowly pull away the item that was stuck in my leg, noticing that one of the pactio weapons somehow got through my own projectile defense, before the gushing amount of blood landed and drooled down from its source (owch…).

I threw that aside, allowing time for my mana swords to reach in to keep this enemy blade busy for the mean time, as I tried to not let the wound bother me as I began to form other mana daggers to contribute to the battle (I am officially going into what you call the 'range' mode), that is, before I noticed the intensity of the wind as it pushes against the side of my face; Setsuna, with her inhuman (then again, she's not entirely human) speed, had managed to get herself behind me. This left me with an utterly breathtaking change of pace, forcing me to struggle along, as I couldn't avoid her next blow. It turned out that it had gnashed itself along my arm, yet it did not fully pierce into it; it was only a mere cut, or what you would call a 'miss'. For a second, I thought she really had missed her shot, but I knew afterwards that she didn't want me to be harmed as greatly as a usual mage to demon battle.

Of course, I knew I had the same thought.

In the heat of this moment, I took this chance to really slice through the opening, ensuring that whatever delays she had left me gave me an opportunity to notice her weakness. As I had swung the mana blade, she slightly recoil in contrast to my usual reflexes, leaving her with a cut on her cheek, which is nearly identical to the one that I got not so long ago in the spar.

_Wait…, are delays her weakness?_

I sought to find the answer to this question, its probability of being right or wrong being compared like fifty-to-fifty; it was a dead tie. I wasn't quite sure if that was for show or not, as I notice that her movements were in varying cases, especially when she was slowing down for a second, and then appearing right behind my back the next second.

"Time's up." The voice of Evangeline came over, as the figure of Chachamaru came between our battle (wait, since when did she…?), knocking away what's left of my future strategies. My expression, at this point, is more or less dumbfounded than confused, acknowledging the fact that I was super close to finding out Setsuna's weakness, before Evangeline started to reason up the purpose of her two words.

"More students are coming, which increases the likelihood that you'll be seen. That'll be a problem, no?" She bluntly added, her eyes reading my expression like a booklet, as she crept out a small smirking smile, as if saying 'you're screwed if you don't stop right now, boya'.

* * *

Author's Notes (7/12/10): Aghhhh .;; Okay…, I kind of lied about the whole fast updates thing… Gahhh xD Summer is really taking its lazy atmosphere into my freakin beloved house T3T Mmeh… But anyways, let's get on topic about this situation, shall we? ;] I kind of made this chapter a tad bit more shorter 'cause I really want to develop the plot whilst developing Negi's new manipulation advantages (so both plot and character development?), so the plot development would be up in the next chapter rather than in this one xD ('cause apparently, I have no clue how long the next scene will be xP). Uhh, what else to say… –Oh! Btw, I joined an RP guild (Gaia; check the previous chapter's A/N) to strengthen up my skills as a way to double up on the way I type these chapters out, sooo that kinda added to the delay ^^;; (which I am heartily sorry for). R&R!

Edited (7/15/10): Okay, so FF(dot)net got rid of my italics on the flashback, so now I should've fixed that.

Me: All right, I'll admit, I am a lazy crap head when it's the summer…

Kana (Setsuna's actor): That's nice that you admitted it.

Me: BUT! That doesn't mean that I'm not putting up ANY updates!

Kyochi (Negi's actor): Umm… we've known that for some time…

Me: …

Kyochi (Negi's actor): R-Right…?

Me: …get out.

Kyochi (Negi's actor): W-What? But I didn't do anything wrong…!

Me: Actually no, I take that back. Start stripping down in front of your sister.

Kana (Setsuna's actor): WHAT?

Me: Hehehe… -gets punched by Kana-

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Just because you're a girl doesn't mean that I can't give a beating to other girls.

Me: O-Ouch… -rubs the spot- y'know what? How long do you think I've been typing this story for? How freakin long do you think I suffered from researching Negima stuffs and finding… unnecessary factors that I don't quite appeal to? HOW freakin long do you think I spend my time to write the script out whilst YOU guys just stand there and act it out. Heck, all you need to do is memorize and put out your emotions. -gets punched by Kana again-

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Y'know…, we do have to suffer through your tortures too…

Me: Mmeh, now where's Kyochi?

Kyochi (Negi's actor): -hides behind shelf- W-Wahh…, I-I t-thought I.. I had to strip.. sooo…

Kana (Setsuna's actor): -face palm- Ohh brother… -sighs-

-world blows up-


	22. New Competition

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've made Negi and Setsuna bro and sis and let 'em get it together ;] hehehe…

Replies (to anonymous users):

(space) – _"even if the update took long its ok as long as you update nice fight btw"_ Thank you ;] The fight was meant to strengthen Negi's manipulation skills (and Setsuna's sword skills) so that builds up the character development (both physically and a bit mentally? xD). But anyways, this chapter should contain the plot development, or in other words, romance~! ;]

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"A perfect chapter! Keep them coming! Me: *Thumbs up* Negi: Can I have a Cookie?" _Niice~! ;] I hope this one is just as good as the previous! ^^ It's gonna have more romance and more progress~ ;]

* * *

**Note: Point of View is now on Setsuna's  
**

* * *

"Phew, that was close…" I sighed as I drench my neck with a small (somewhat wet) towel, its cooling temperature transferring and fighting against the heat, before finally opening the door that leads from the bathroom to the hallway. This brought in a flow of other cold air molecules, which reinforces the temperature change of hot-to-cold, especially for the fact that my body is at the brink of overheating from the training and the bathing. "…if any of those classmates see you and me like that, you'll probably be an ermine and–"

"W-Well…, at least we fought a battle f-for the first time." The companion that came out with me, whom is now at my side with a towel coiled around his waist, tried to brighten up the situation with his words and smile; optimism has claimed his eyes, which never ceases to make my days worth it. Turning to him, as his face was now covered in some magic bandages (we both put on bandages prior to this event) I then gave my response without much hesitance.

"That's true." I accepted his words with a small smile, knowing that I shouldn't be pessimistic all the time, as we both travel to the living room, which is also as known as our bedroom.

That is, before he gave me an inquisitive expression, his eyes now plunging into the definition of curiosity. And of course, this pondered me more than the fact that we're still in our towels.

"I-I got a question." His uneasiness then forced him to fidget for a moment, as if the next thing that'll be outputting from his mouth would be the last thing he'll be saying to anyone, his view now diverted from mines. "A-Are… y-your wings the only thing that's 'demon' about you…?"

_Huh?_

"E-Eh?" Was all that I could mutter out for the moment, knowing for the fact that there are probably a load of other 'demon' features that are stored within me without my knowledge on them, before I muttered out that very thought of confusion to him.

"W-Well…, I can't necessarily say that it's the **only **part, considering that there are many other possibilities of features to a demon –more or less, a half demon."

He then cast his eyes down in thought, as I took this time to use my towel to brush off some water on my hair, the coldness now becoming more of the antagonist than the protagonist, before I found myself with a tingling feeling.

"Ahch–" It turned out that I sneezed on my elbow, the rest of the usual sounds becoming incoherent when it became muffled on the contact of my elbow, before earning a 'bless you' from Negi. Wiping myself off with the towel, I proceed to give out my message in order to prevent any future illnesses that may lie in wait.

"T-Thank you… –but anyways, we should get dressed up before the cold gets to us." With my outspoken concern in terms of words, it was then that I actually analyze his body (besides the towel that's around _that _part) with more observance, noting to the fact that his muscles have grown rapidly than before, or at least, in comparison with the last time that I witness such a sight.

_Evangeline's training had really hit the spot for him…_

"You're right, hehe…" He sheepishly scratched his head, the muscle now budging out in a more flagrant approach, as I couldn't help but wonder just what kind of eleven-year-old kid could rival against him at this point. With that, I felt a small blush rimming its way on my face, the heat invading with radiated waves, before Negi continued on his course of sentences. "I guess we shouldn't commit the same mistake as last time –ah… ACHOO!"

Unfortunately, the same mistake had indeed occurred, its strong magical wind traveling through the area like a hasty dragon flying off to trap its prey.

_M-My chi…!_

Quickly blocking myself with the palm of my hand, my skin now coiled around by the energy that was stored up in me, I hope for dear goodness sakes that there won't be anything that surpasses the definition of true embarrassment. Of course, I wouldn't say that it's the first time that I've been bare to the skin, considering that I've fought along a load of other students in my school without the consideration of whether I'm naked or not (not that I mind my past self), but at this point, I knew that that sort of appearance in front of this man –no, my partner– would devastate my mind with the fact that it was **him **that was witnessing this sort of sight. And so I stood there, my eyes closed in reflex, as I felt a strong sense of force that nearly rival the strength of my father's needles.

Slowly opening my eyes, knowing that my arm is out for the chi blockage, I then took a clear look at myself if there was anything that was exposed or even possibly seen through this towel alone.

Nothing.

Sighing in relief, I then readjusted the positioning of my towel to ensure that it was in perfect shape, as I noticed Negi's glance of embarrassment and sorrow.

"S-Sorry…" His face was enveloped by that blush again, motivating me to feel bad for his sake, knowing that it wasn't really much of his fault than it is mines. Then again, there isn't a real culprit in this situation, so it wasn't much of a big deal in the first place.

_And he looks cute too… –w-wait! I didn't just say that…!_

_**It's too late.**_

"D-Don't worry. J-Just make sure that you learn from it." Shutting off the thought process as they were slowly catching onto my messages (why else did I stutter?) I knew that he's worrying too much at this point, especially for a small little guy like him. Turning to me, his eyes now full of a mixture of disappointment and reassurance, the blush on his facials then broad up in a darker shade, making me ponder (yet I can't help but also feel as if the heat was taking over my cheeks) on the reason behind the way he reacted to my treatment.

_W-What… is this feeling…?_

"Negi?" That voice that crept out to the lower right corner of my vision belonged to no one other than **her**, as I felt a huge wave of shock of the situation, finding myself tripping onto the couch with a small yelp. Turning to the source of the sound when I regain my sanity, disregarding the fact that I'm acting a tad weird at the moment (especially in the mood that was prior to this event), I then question the maiden that just came in unexpectedly.

"Y-Yes, Konoka-ojou– I mean Kono-c-chan– I-I mean…!" My stuttering was what discourage me from enabling myself to address Konoka, noting to the fact that I'm tied between the two suffixes that were laid out in my mind, as I quickly shut my mouth like a zipper to prevent any further embarrassing words. Furthermore, I kept my view to the wall, lost in the sense of how I should voice out my words, as I slowly fidgeted on this couch.

"Hehehe… Se-chan is funny when she acts like that…" She giggled at the scene, noticing my flustering face, as I felt speechless upon those words, that is, until she added in another comment.

"By the way, why are you guys in your towels?"

* * *

"Next time, can you please knock before coming in, o-ojou –Konoka?" With our clothes back in their places (not to mention a short explanation of why we have those bandages on our faces), I had to question her the said message or for goodness sakes that she'll run into us at anytime, and thus ensuring that that sort of situation is prevented in the future. And instead of the couch, I was properly seating on my bed with Konoka by my side –she's about two or three feet away from me, I guess–, whilst Negi was on the couch with a tie between a solemn and embarrassed emotional display.

"Well, the door was open though…" She retaliated back, her puzzling bubbly expression never ceasing to define the very characteristic of innocence, as her hair went along with the flow when she tilt her head in thought. In the midst of this, her finger was near her chin as she manifested an inquisitive expression, which made me feel like I should repeat my breath.

"In other words, just don't come as you please…!" I summarized my counter argument, bolting up in both embarrassment and (a tad bit) of anger, and hoping that she would be able to understand my point. Clearly, I'd wish that she would naturally knock on the door, but with an expression like that on her face, it doesn't seem like she processes what I'm saying in contrast to my visual imagery of how she should usually come in.

"W-Well… if the door was open… t-then, I… I guess it can't be helped?" My partner, whom is properly sitting on the couch across from us, voiced out his opinion on this matter, which is more or less siding along with Konoka. But knowing for the fact that he was **indeed **counter arguing against me, I couldn't help but feel loss in his words as if I was entangled and coiled in place; his words felt like they could change my heart's pace.

_Then again, he does have a point…_

"J-Just don't do that again…" I spoke out to Konoka, somewhat admitting my loss to this situation, as I settle back down on the mattress of my bed (when I was 'bolting up' earlier, I actually stood up at that moment). It was then that embarrassment forced the heat onto my cheeks, remembering the 'in the moment' scene that I had with Negi, and even predicting what would happen if she weren't to show up.

_W-Wah! I'm becoming a hopeless pervert…! _With a facepalm, the blush grew darker as I can no longer seem to grasp my surroundings for the minute, knowing for the fact that I was trying to cover it with my hand rather than letting it show off.

"Alright, I got it." Konoka agreed with my message, her happy and cheery tone never ceasing to make itself known as the bubbly joy of her key features, before the mood turn into a pack of altruism.

"Y-You okay…? Your face is heating up." Negi was the first to break in at this sort of matter, knowing that not all parts of my face has been covered by my palm, the redness now feeling more and more visible as time passes. That is, judging from the heat surging onto my face.

"A-Ah! I'm sorry, Se-chan… i-if it's about how I walked into you two… t-then…" Unfortunately, that was not where I was going at, considering that it wasn't really her type of blame, but rather, I should be the one at fault for acting like this.

_C-Crap… I-I have to act normal…!_

"W-Well," Removing the hand that placed me into facepalm mode, I tried smiling to her when I continued on. "Y-You don't have to worry so much oj –Konoka." I scratched my head out of habit to give myself a chance to contribute to the mood of ease, as I rant onto the thoughts in order to make sure that I wasn't really thinking that much about something else, nor would I be bothered with something. "I-It's not like I was thinking about doing anything p-perverted with Negi or touching him or kissing him or seducing him or…"

Halt. At this point, I really did screwed up.

"W-Wah…! Please excuse me!" Darting myself out of the room with the speed that rivaled against a racing car, I couldn't help but run through the dorm hallway without much of an ounce of respect to the ones who live here, noting that I really **done **it this time. That type of embarrassment was beyond my limit of capacity, especially for the fact that this experience was one of the first that I ever had in my life, as I never specifically endorse myself in this type of emotional sense until the day that I was assigned to be his partner.

* * *

The sweat now embedding itself on my skin from the run, I panted with every breath I got, my hands now resting on the wood of the tree. It turned out that I ran all the way to the forest near the campus, which is probably (at least) a couple yards if not blocks away from the dorm. Because I exhausted my chi, knowing that I used it to speed myself during the run, it was extremely tiring to the point of despair.

"I-I wonder what's w-wrong with me…" I commented to myself whilst casting my eyes down, seating my body upon the grass as I leaned against this tree, thus calming down the blood that has been hardly pumping in my chest for this entire moment. The wind that blew past had contributed to my needs, its blissful cold touch cooling off what's left of my heated temperature, allowing me to bask in this silence for the meantime. I then slowly touch the rim of the bandage that was on my cheek, reminiscing the time where I fought Negi in which had occurred not that long ago.

"W-Wait Setsuna…!" That voice belonged to no one else but Negi, but seeing as how I obscured myself with all these bushes, it was flagrantly displayed on his face that he couldn't tell where I was. However, it was vice versa for my situation, for I was able to witness the scenery through certain openings in the bushes. His features were a sign of desperateness and inquisitiveness, teeth now grounded to strengthen that sign, as a mix of sadden and an angry emotion clung onto his face. Following him came Konoka, her expression now tinted into a sadden one, as if she's feeling like she's the one who's the cause of the situation. Comparing both of them is like comparing black and white, seeing as how Negi wasn't affected from the run whilst Konoka was, her gasps for breath nearly overwhelming her as she was seemingly struggling to hold herself up.

"N-Negi?" The source of that voice came from the right, acknowledging itself as Nodoka Miyazaki, the student whom we came across a couple days if not a week ago, her face holding a tint of redness in them. Her hair, on the other hand, was brushed off in a way that allows me (and others) to see her eyes, the bangs no longer covering her face. Negi welcomed her back with a well-lit notice, as he proceeded with his response.

"Oh, good morning, Miyazaki. Have you seen Setsuna around?" His interest seemed to be aligned at another direction (shown from his bluntness), as I felt kind of bad for making him worry about me like this, but I knew that my newly attained perverted thoughts are more or less hazardous if I were to get close to him any further.

_He told me that we should be friends… right? Then am I going to continue being that 'friend' until he realizes just how much I am giving up my pride as ojou-sama's guardian, and continuing on with my life as his partner?_

_**He'll realize those true feelings soon.**_

_Wait a moment…! I don't remember having such feelings… I-I…_

_**Exactly.**_

_I… d-do…?_

"I… I don't know where s-she is at…" Nodoka stuttered out her reply, her face now as bright as a tomato, as I found myself suspecting her for a split second.

_I-I have a bad feeling about this…_

_**Exactly. Just look at how she's attracted to him… hehe…**_

_Shut up!_

"Then, sorry for the rush, but I have to go…! See you, Nodoka!" Waving back to her as he picked up his speed, he then dashed to the pathway opposite of where Nodoka was at, which is more or less away from my direction too.

"A-Ah… N-Negi…" Nodoka outstretched her hand, as his figure was getting smaller and smaller, motivating her to become somewhat hesitant in chasing him down (even I don't want to waste my chi to chase him down, considering that his mana capacity is quite large if not huge, especially when in a state of rush like that).

"Even though he's a little kid, Negi can be a very fast runner." In the midst of brushing off her sweat, Konoka commented on the situation, her expression becoming more of a happy one than her previous as if it was to cheer Nodoka up.

"A-Ah, I see…" With her eyes cast down, Nodoka was seemingly uneasy, noting to the fact that her face is still dyed in red. Konoka took immediate notice of this, knowing for the fact that it was a type of thing that probably doesn't usually occur as much.

"Do you have something on your mind? Or do you have a fever?" She questioned Nodoka, which astounded her for a second as she was flagrantly displaying her shock by recoiling, before her eyes laid themselves on the ground.

"W-Well… d-do you like Negi…?" The purple haired girl fidgeted when she said this, her fists clenching every few seconds or so, until Konoka gave her a blank response. This was consisted of her innocent expression –a type that might even rival against Negi's– with a finger dab on her chin, as she wielded a stiff smile, somewhat frozen in place for the moment.

"W-Wah…?" Konoka choked out, her obliviousness being deadly flagrant to the point of despair, whilst tilting her head in a weird motion. "He's a nice little brother though… if that's what you're saying"

"I-I see… t-thank goodness…" Sighing in relief from Konoka's response, Nodoka seemed more relax now that she had heard this message, which is still puzzling me as to why she would be questioning this in the first place.

"To tell you the truth…" Was all I could hear from the purple head until she whispered to Konoka through her ear, making me ponder more on what's going on. On the other hand, Konoka had displayed several expressions, including a confused one, a happy one, and a shocking one as the finishing touch.

"E-Eh? Y-You like Neg–" The minute that she outspoken that beginning phrase was the minute that her mouth was covered by Nodoka's hand, the embarrassment displayed on her face as she done this. This pondered me even more, grounding my teeth in thought from time to time, before a sense of realization welled up inside of me.

_D-Don't tell me that she…!_

"Good morning, Setsuna." The one who spoke this was behind me, that very tone never ceasing to be **that **person's owner, as I felt like she was giving me a spooked up moment. All in all, she failed in that category.

"What is it, Mana?" I slightly adjusted my view so that I can see her, even if just a bit, before my eyes rolled back to the situation with Konoka and Nodoka.

"I'm just doing my orders from the principal, but I am told to give you this message: 'You will be experiencing some competition. Make sure that you get ready for it.' And that's about it."

_Wait…wha…?

* * *

_  
Author's Notes (8/2/10): Alright, so we're on bloody goodness businesses on the romance, and yes, it's competition time! ;] And no, I'm not bashing Nodoka (she's cool with me), but rather, I'm just giving her some nice screen time~! Yippee!~ ^w^ Anyways, I already informed you bout the whole delay, and w/e… I'm too tired to say anything lol… R&R!

Me: Ugh… it's the night of Monday and I just wanna go to sleeeeeeeeeep…

Kyochi (Negi's actor): -gives a bag of sun chips: french onion-

Me: -sparkling eyes, then eats it vigorously-

Kyochi (Negi's actor): O_O;;

Kana (Setsuna's actor): So the author has finally tame herself?

Tsuke (Random demon's actor): Yep. A~h, the taste of peace is nice, isn't it?

Kana (Setsuna's actor): I guess so. She haven't ate chips since a couple years ago due to her braces, and now that she has retainers, she's **really **loving it… hehe…

Kyochi (Negi's actor): Um… sis…

Kana (Setsuna's actor): What is it?

Kyochi (Negi's actor): She's begging for more…

Kana (Setsuna's actor): F***…, that was the last bag…

-world blows up-


	23. Suspicion

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I might've given this series a slice of higurashi ;D

Replies (to anonymous users):

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"This chapters an okay, something in my was saying 'thats not right' maybe its a different romantic way. But still the best. Setsuna: I-I cant think of perverted thoughts. Me: *pulls out make out paradise* Setsuna: What the! Konoka: Oooo...Naughty Setsuna: NO! DONT READ IT!" _Oh woops, so my sort of thinking kinda went off the roof o—o;; And since Se-chan has already gone through all the 'Sex Ed' stuffs (in my experience, I learned about these stuffs when I was in elementary school .;; ), you can probably assume one of the most basic perverted thoughts that should be lingering in her head x] Hopefully, **that **definition of your type of romance would probably be up sooner or later. Let me see if I can still fight on ;o! P.S. Whenever I write it out, it never turns out the way I want it xD Either that or my mind is thinking bout something else while I write it ;; Mmeh, changes just come and go, eh?

(space) –_ "setsuna was kinda funny in this chapter" _Lawl! xDD Indeed she was, especially when she tripped onto the couch when Konoka appeared out of nowhere xP Hehe…, I actually read some Love Hina before writing out the comedic scenes, so that kind of contributed to the humor of the chapter ^^ Besides, I don't want the story to be wrapped up in fighting for too long D8

(space) – _"oh okey when you have the chance please update im hooked on your story and i want to know what happens next" _Whatever that you're reading right now, go ahead and scroll down and find your 'what happens next' ;D

my hero – _"cool well i love this story its the most interesting negima story iv read good luck in school update soon" _Why thank you, hun ^^ Hopefully I'll be able to update faster this summer, but hey, no one can tell what the future holds, no? Haha, I'll look forward to how this story will turn out ;3

cheeramy – _"i love this story! i am a HUGE fan of setsuna and i hope to see a LOT more! especially negi and setsuna kissing! hehe!" _Glad to hear your enthusiasm ;D I'll note to stick in more kiss scenes once I find them fit, but for now, let's see what this chapter has to offer ;]

* * *

Me: -sits up from couch- Ahhhh~~~nnnn…. That was a good nap…

Kyochi (Negi's actor): So the author finally woke up, eh?

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Though it's been a while since we had our break. I wish it could've been longer…

Kyochi (Negi's actor): T-That's not a type of thing you're suppost to say at a time like this… Owo;;

Me: O-o How long has it been since I was last conscious?

Kana (Setsuna's actor): 4 or so months.

Me: GAH? -bolts up- Get into your places everyone!

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Hai hai…

Me: Ready… set…. ACTION!

-world lights up-

* * *

"Y-You're kidding…?" I slowly outputted these two words, the astounding truth nearly ripping me in shreds for a split second, as I stare at Mana with a shocking expression. Truly, I didn't realize that Nodoka had really gone down that road, knowing that she didn't hang out with Negi as much as I had (I did not meant by the tone of what I just said there), whilst finding myself in pain when I clutch my hand on my chest.

I then ground my teeth for a second, then relaxed them; I no longer find a reason to be angry, being that it's irrelevant at this point. Sighing as I close my eyes, I then placed my body at ease when I reopened them.

_I should compose myself. It shouldn't be unnatural that things like this would happen, be it sooner or later… –and better yet, it's possible that this might be a trap._

"Hmph, of course that's not the only type of competition you'll be facing…" Mana spoke out when crossed her arms (she seems to be amused by my astonishment), her long hair making way for her actions, as she continued on. "Keep in mind that Negi is the son of **him, **the _**thousand master**_. Whatever that you might be facing, including demons, enemies, and other life forms, it'll be for his power –his mana."

This immediately quirked my eyebrow, as I remembered the encounter with Nagi, his figurine lighting up the flare that had once burned out in my mind. I had then bit my lip when I reminisce the fight with my father, but then rejuvenated that heart wrench feeling with Nagi's superiority, as if he was the route that Negi could've endorse himself in. The thought of that creates a slight tingling jolt in my chest.

Another whisk of wind passed by like usual, letting the motion take its waves on my skin. This had brushed away my zone-out side, as I now refocus and reclaim myself into reality.

"I see…" Not bothering to look at her in the eye, I direct my gaze towards the tree across from her, its texture defining its long-standing age. I then rolled my eyes back to the bush, the one that I had been hiding in since the beginning of the situation. "B-But…"

She giggled a little while her head was down to obscure her humor, which confused me for a second as to why she was so amused by my actions, thus resulted in giving her a glare that asked about her sudden off-topic attitude. This also questioned about her interruption.

"I find it quite intriguing when I see you like that…" Mana explained her reason, smiling a type of smile I haven't seen for a while, as it was rare for her to smile in the first place. I then relaxed my glare when I noticed how 'out of bounds' my personality is; I don't seem to be like my usual self. Accompanying this thought was a smile that etched out on my face, feeling my own amusement of myself. It took a couple more seconds before Mana's usual façade came on again, and with that, I had followed suit. "Anyways, please continue on."

With her newly restored expression, I indeed continue on my rant, my mouth opening and closing as a way to remind myself of what to say.

"What's the update on the demons? …I haven't seen much of them lately." This puzzling thought lingered in my head for a while now, keen senses tingling with the fact that the chances of encountering the 'demons' were now a mere one to a hundred at this point.

"Well," She started off, staring onto the scenery before her, which sort of motivated me to do the same. Luscious trees and green grass were the only parts of the environment that entertained my eyes –besides the (still ongoing) chat between Nodoka and Konoka–, that is, before Mana continued her message. "It appears that we have a hidden ally, but I am not told of who or what this person is –or even if it's a person or a team–, nor am I given the authority to reveal this person to you. However, I can only say that that's the cause of the loss of enemies."

I blinked for a moment, now understanding the reason behind the deduction of enemies, but still pondering whether I should be happy or suspicious of this new 'ally'.

"No information or hints?" Reconfirming if there was truly no insinuation on who the 'ally' might be, Mana shook her head in response to my question. Puffing a breath out, I decided to dismiss our meeting, seeing as how the duo (a.k.a. Konoka and Nodoka) are ready to leave as well.

"Be careful." Were the last words from Mana before the blink-of-an-eye-disappearance placed its effect on her, giving me time to follow up how the two girls are doing. On the other hand, knowing that Nodoka's a new rival (or not?) meant that I'll have to be more cautious about her and–

A rise of chi was quickly detected, its presence enveloped in lightning speed, as I cannot describe where or what this tank of chi was at. I could feel the sweat swelling up on my skin, the pressure building up on me, as a tint of my heart yearned for Negi's presence to support me in this situation. Nevertheless, my fingers coiled around the yunagi handle, as I kept my sword ready for what's to come… seeing as how it's heading for…

_**…Konoka?**_

_Ojou-sama! _Shouting the respectful form name of Konoka in my mind, it was enough to motivate me to unleash my reflexes upon this quick-feet being. I could feel the bushes and leaves that were in my way –though they felt like nothing but paper on my limbs–, the ground shaking before me, and the astounding expressions of the girls. It was all this that happened in nothing more than a fraction of a second.

"Ojou-sama!" Flipping my yunagi out just in time, the steel of this blade had deflected a dagger (it made a 'clang' noise in collision), which was most likely the medium for all that chi earlier. That dagger then bounced to the left and its handle took the blow to the ground, the momentum and gravitational pull making the dagger act like a see-saw before finally seating itself. Still in aftershock, my heart was hastily beating against my chest, unknown if there were any more attacks. The only question that now dwells in my mind is, 'who threw that dagger?', the fact that I came out to block their attack raises more thoughts behind this matter –even going to the point where I predict that the 'dagger' might be a fraud or a bait. Nevertheless, I was able to protect my classmates with clear precision; otherwise, it might've been a threatening attack to ojou-sama and Nodoka.

Turning around, I noticed that both ojou-sama and Nodoka didn't seem to have the type of expressions that I would normally expect; their expressions were –as I thought– astonishing, but not to the extent that I guessed. In approximation, I would say that the least I would consider the situation, based on their expressions, was normality, yet surprised in my involvement.

_Perhaps… are they the 'hidden ally'?_

"S-Se-chan?" Konoka was the first to break into the heat, her tone holding a sense of confusion. "W-What are you doing here? Negi was searching for you this entire time–"

"I know that." I (unintentionally) cut her off, still affixed in my position, as I couldn't help but feel as if this dagger wasn't the only sort of weapon that the 'enemy' would simply throw at me; I find that if I let my guard down, something else would pop out instead. At the same time, more and more sweat piled up on my skin, as I scanned the area from to and thro, trying to track any leftover chi in the pathway. After a couple thirty seconds, I then concluded that the unknown identity had left already.

_Weird… did I scare it off?_

Feeling a small ounce of ease, I was able to properly turn around to greet the faces of the two girls, not to mention answer ojou-sama's question (or at least give her a valid answer rather than a simple 'I know that'). There were slight amounts of regret when I notice that I was emphasizing more on combat rather than the social quality, but regardless, I composed my reply.

"Sorry, ojou-sama. I am fully aware that Negi is looking for me, but…" I paused for a second, seeing that Nodoka was slightly disappointed from the fact that Negi's focus was more dwelled upon me than her, before continuing on.

"But, that does not mean that I'm ready for him… or at least, not yet." I could feel a small blush welling up on my cheeks when I thought about 'him', which motivated me to either obscure my face or brush off those thoughts. Taking the latter, I replaced the imagery of Negi with the silhouette of the 'new ally'.

"By the way, are you guys alright?" Questioning them, I was given smiles of sincerity along with nods, followed up with a 'yes'. Knowing that that dagger was the only sign of offensive so far, I would not mind to lower my guard for another minute if it was not for the suspicion of the 'ally'.

_Ojou-sama was raised by magicians, not to mention that her grandfather is a mage (and a powerful one at that), but then again… I was not told that she was undergoing any magic training, and even if I did want to ask her, I would be forbidden to speak of magic to her._

As I bid both ojou-sama and Nodoka goodbye, a gnawing feeling grasp and chew inside of me, as if paranoia was enveloping my senses. I identified this feeling as insecurity and suspicion, a mixture of regrets and fear. My eyes then narrowed at the ground, this feeling now debating inside of my mind, as my hand was still holding onto the brandished yunagi.

_I would understand why ojou-sama didn't look like she was surprised when she saw me (she seen me protect her in times of panic during our childhood), but why would Nodoka __**also **__have that same expression? Was she expecting Negi to protect her instead?_

I ground my teeth, seeing that I am meddling with useless business, as I also bid _my_ good bye to this thought –or at least, for the meantime. Relaxing my muscles, I sheathe back the yunagi into its proper shell. Perhaps I should think about something else to relax my mind with.

* * *

The roof, they say, is a place filled with solemn tranquility; it is the closest thing to 'Heaven'. However, it could be one of the many places to sought for its peaceful atmosphere, and, as an example, to cool one's head down. That being said, I just wonder how many people would come up here to study instead of such stereotypes, which is more or less my type of situation. If it's another thing, I'll note to say that my destination is the school roof.

_"Slope Intercept Form: A way to express the equation of a line. The slope intercept form is probably the most frequently used way to express equation of a line. To be able to use slope intercept form, all that you need to be able to do is one: find the slope of a line and two: find the y-intercept of a line. In general, the slope intercept form assumes the formula: y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y intercept. The slope 'm' is also a term for 'pneumic', meaning that m is equivalent to the word 'move'. The y intercept b is known as 'pneumonic', saying that 'b' is where the line begins." _I whispered these words to myself, flipping the page of this math study guide, as I drank the information down like a sponge. My feet shifted against the concrete, and as legs are in an upside down 'v' position –not to mention that I'm sitting–, the book on my lap had followed suit. Behind me laid another scrap of concrete, this being the wall of the mini building that connected the roof to the rest of the school, which carefully cushioned my back. As for what's 'up', the scenery above me gave me the sight of clouds, some branches of trees that managed to out-level the school building, and a few rays of sunshine that brightened up my day. The yunagi is still sheathed and sitting flat-sided on the ground, its distance nothing more than a few inches to the left of my spare hand.

Small waves of wind swept by like a wiping of a cloth, as its condition was warm and calm, allowing myself to not be bothered by nature's breath. My right hand clutched onto the book, thus preventing any pages from flipping, during the windy session. Dressed in nothing more than what resembles a light amount of clothing, the small white undershirt being my first layer, covered by a large collar gray T-shirt, all snuggling with a brown jacket with two known pockets. The lower half was done with dark purple pants embellished in pockets here and there, as if it was built for a camping trip. Granted, I will say that I do dress myself properly, but I don't really care about the choice of clothes as much as I do with the comfort of them.

It was then that I noticed how tired my eyes were from all the reading I've been doing, as I took this time to put away my reading glasses –and yes, I did need them for the purpose of reading these extremely tiny words in the book–, before breathing in the scent of fresh new air.

Inhale.

Exhale.

I blinked at the sudden presence of a bee, which is but a few meters away from me, as the buzzing was quite annoying. However, before I could cry out my complaints of how I hate bees and their stings, this insect took the initiative and flew away to spare me of my personal comments. Seeing this type of thing reminded me of how fast the seasons passed and 'flew', not to mention the changes that could accompany with time. It also reminded me of the months that passed since I last saw Negi, as I was told that he is undergoing intense magic training via Evangeline's. I struggle to recall what happened before his department.

_**-FB-**_

"_S-Setsuna!" No mistake of the identification of this voice, as I knew that this belong to Negi's, I then turned around, revealing to myself a ten-year-old teacher running towards me. He doesn't seem to be panting as frequently as I thought; he was using his magic to upgrade his running capabilities, which I couldn't tell whether I should be impressed or worried. Surely enough, if this was a racetrack, I would swear that I wouldn't be competitive enough to race against him._

_Finally a couple feet away from me, he placed a screeching halt to his acceleration, which scuffed up some smoke that emitted from his shoes. Thankfully, none of the smoke really did tatter anyone or anything other than damaging the bottom of his shoes. But by the time he really does stop, he ends up tripping and falling in the direction opposite of his –accompanying this scene with his girlish-accent yelp–, in which I couldn't help but snicker at the sight. He frowned for a second, then gave up and smiled along. As to compromise with my actions, I gave him a helping hand, as he gave me his thanks afterwards._

"_Sorry for all the trouble." He scratched his head, following with some brush-ups of his clothes to get rid of the dirt, especially on his back. While this was going on, the atmosphere enveloped in silence, as if a calm era had suddenly came; only the sounds of the 'pat' of his clothes could be comprehended through my ears. On the other hand, I dare not to look at his face, for fear that I might be blushing more than I already have in these past couple of weeks; I end up looking at the ground the entire time. It was not until a few seconds that I broke into this quiet spectrum._

"_A-Anyways," I rolled my eyes to my partner, whom seems to be done with his thing, then back to the ground, proceeding to ask my question. "What is it you called me for?"_

"_A-Ah, well…" He stuttered and fidgeted for a moment, his hands locked together, twiddling his thumbs along the way. If I could comment on this, I would say he is adorably cute at the moment, and I can't say for the love of God that I regret pointing this out. "I… I'm sorry about earlier…"_

"_For what?" I finally got the courage to look straight at his face, blinking at his regretful expression, as I recalled the moment where I inadvertently left the room without a reason. "You didn't do anything wrong; it's my fault for making you worry."_

"_But…!" He raised his voice, which startled me for a second, his gaze now affixed upon me as he done this. "It's my fault that I didn't held in my sneeze at that t-time…"_

_While he was sulking down (he also broke the stare between us), seemingly blaming everything on himself, I couldn't help but make my attempt at cheering him up. Besides, he deserves better than this. _

_Approaching him, I proceed to touch his hair, defining this action as a 'head pat'._

"_You know…" I started off while ruffling his hair, as I knelt down to level up our faces together (though he seemed taller than me when I did this). Although this might risk me a startling blush of oblivion, I decided to take upon that risk and look at him from eye to eye. "For a ten year old, you are a very mature kid."_

_Eyes widening at the sudden compliment, he then gave me a surprising expression, as his face was embellished in red dye. I etched out a small smile, accompanied with a warm feeling on my cheeks, as I assume that to be my display of a blush. I then continued my chain of sentences._

"_And to worry about others –to care for other beings beside yourself… i-it's not something that you would usually see in a normal ten year old." His expression still didn't change, which amuses me, thus I paused to stare at his eyes for a second. Those eyes appeared to tell me that they just can't speak at the moment, no matter how much Negi could strengthen up his courage. Heck, not like eyes can talk anyways. _

_Overall, I was amused by his actions not only because of humor, but also because –oh how much I don't want to say this– how cute he is when he's worried. It somehow urges me to hug him and shout out the thoughts lingering in my mind, but I know for the love of God that I can't do something that I'm not capable of. And so I can only do the next best thing: Complimentary._

"_Regardless, I should be the one taking responsible for issues like this. So try to be less pessimistic, if even for today."_

"_A-Ah…" Speechless, Negi was frozen in his place, not to mention the increasing temperature tensions that weigh between each of us. As the 'first one to fall', Negi had quickly and tightly closed his eyes, his reasoning parallel to a mind of someone that doesn't know what to do. His blush still remained, along with stuttering words, in which I could only make out 'I' and 'Setsuna'. The sight of this had quirked up a newfound spark inside of me, as my heartbeat soared while sweat became second nature to my body. Seeing as how his lips were quivering, not to mention how stiff he has been while this entire situation is going on, I couldn't help but etch in closer and closer until our noses were a few inches apart._

**_H-He… looks too cute…_**

_My mind can no longer function the words of my heart, nor any sense of judgment wave over my comprehension. It was as if I lost everything that defined me, and somehow found something new, something unknown yet so familiar…_

"_What's wrong, boya?" Quickly darting out of my previous position, both Negi and I shriek in unison, letting the distance between us be five feet. As if surprise wasn't enough for this situation, the black mage vampire had __**just **__shown up at such timing, though her expression tells me that she's been expecting something like this. Her smirk-like smile was the usual, yet I could've sworn that this smile was wider than the other ones she put up with. It was miserable enough to see ojou-sama's interruption, and now something else?_

_I bit my lip in anger, as if this feeling was designed to generate upon Evangeline's presence. Granted, I hope that she doesn't do anything that'll annoy me to the point of despair; I've had enough of her meddlesome business. To speak of the reason of why I came to hate her would meant a simple summary: from my perspective, it seems that she believes that anyone who is 'half' of anything will be weaker and deemed unimportant, which is explicitly untrue and rude to my kind._

"_N-Nothing…" Negi, whom had finally snapped into reality, replied, his features exposing his fear of his trainer._

"_Anyways, from what I judge of your performance up to this point…" Evangeline started off, her index finger held high as to gesture along with her words, as she then pointed to him. "Is that you are incredibly weak right now."_

**_She's straightforward…_**

"_I-I see…" Negi reluctantly uttered out, as his body shriveled up in response, head held low. If I could, I would run over to that vampire and stab her eyes out for the good sake of Negi, but pardon me, I don't think Negi would deserve a gore-filled sight. Plus, I don't think I can do such a thing to his trainer, considering how well experience she is, and how much she has done to 'train' us (though she trained Negi more than what I could recall…)._

"_Hey, half-demon." She called out, which got my attention. I then turned to her, wondering what she wants with me, as she continued her pace of sentences. "You took it easy on him, right?"_

_I blinked at her for a moment, confused as to which time that she was referring to, before recalling the part where I last fought Negi. Seeing as how she saw through performance, I knew that keeping that flaw of the fight could no longer be a secret, letting myself give in to what I'm about to say._

"_Yes, I did." In much astonishment to Negi, as his eyes widen up, I couldn't help but feel like I said something I shouldn't have said. But regardless, as they say, 'the truth must come out sooner or later'._

"_What of it?" I added, interested in the reason behind this truth._

"_I've decided to personally train him for a couple months. You remember that 'resort' I've kept?" As she said this, she pulled Negi's shirt collar like a dog, then turned to him. She eyed him with a viciously malicious expression, as Negi, in return, was much more than horrified. "I'm going to give you my personal magic Hell training, boya."_

"_B-But… is this arrangement prepared in advance?" I questioned her, wondering just how Negi will deal with both school and his own matters, though I tried obscuring the fact that I don't want Negi to depart so soon. My desires were trampled on when Evangeline faced me with her still-so-haunting expression._

"_Of course. I already got permission from the principal, and he told me that he'll be having a substitute in the place of Negi until the training is over." The very thing that stood out in her answer was 'substitute'. It was horrible, such a horrible word to be uttered out. After all, I don't even know who or what this substitute is, nor am I interested in agreeing with this idealistic 'training'. Grounding my teeth, I was about to utter my words before she beat me to it, saying the very things that can lock my lips away –or at least, for a while._

"_And the substitute is…"_

_**-FB-End-**_

"Yo," A generally mature voice caved out to my right, following with the closing of the door. I didn't take much less than a glance at this person's face to acknowledge him, as he settled himself on the ground beside me; his presence wasn't at top priority. His position was slightly different to mines, being that his legs are crisscrossed, and his back was nervously leaning in rather than relaxing against the concrete wall. I reckon I should at least return his greeting rather than ignoring, but the thought that _he _was my substitute sort of tugged my throat.

"G-Good afternoon, Takamichi-sensei." I muttered out, letting my ice-cold voice overpower the warm kind one that I often would reserve for Negi, as I slowly close my eyes to feel the impact of the incoming wind. My left hand then clenched tightly.

To know that the news of Negi's temporary department was all but too sudden, I could feel the blowing effects of this during these last few months. I had grown more callous, more cautious, and more studious than I had ever been in such a short amount of time. Some of the 'fans' out there gave up hope, and others had possibly joined another trending group. All in all, I am (at least) not disturbed during breaks and lunch sessions. Then again, I sort of miss those good days.

"It's a wonderful Saturday, isn't it?" The old man asked me, his facial direction looking like he's talking to nobody but the sky, but nevertheless, I conserve enough time to form my response. In due time, I hope, that he will leave before I get up to self-train myself again. After all, I don't appreciate the presence of others –other than Negi– to be examining my daily routines.

"Yes, I guess you can say that." Both sides of my teeth connected, and there I output my pessimistic side. "However, I will say that Spring is not a favorable season."

"Why?" He immediately questioned, his interest seemingly lingering in the social corner, which is more or less dissatisfying to my tastes. "Is it too 'peaceful' for you?"

"No," I never broke the seriousness of my façade since his arrival. At the same time, however, I could feel as if there's a reason for his appearance, though I never taken the time to properly examine him for any hints of my predictions. "Cut the chatter. What are you here for? When is Negi coming back? How can this situation be improved? Why–"

"My thoughts exactly." An unexpected sentence came out of his mouth, as I couldn't help but break the serious mask that I wore, and replace it with a surprise one. I would say that this tends to not happen a lot, but hey, it's not like I'm emotionless enough to stay emotionless. And as I did this, my eyes finally grasp the image of this substitute, his casual attire reinforcing my surprise. He appears to be dressed in a black T-shirt and a set of blue pants, which differs from the usual suit that he would occasionally wear. In fact, it'll be a first that I've seen him like this. However, this did not stop me from expressing my confusion.

"What are you inferring?" I eyed him with my rejuvenated sternness, as I could not tell what he is clearly saying. He returned the stare with a content expression, one that doesn't seem to mind my current attitude, as he adjusted his view to the scenery again.

"I'm actually concerned with the principal's attitude." His Adam apple rose and dropped, as he wielded a frown. "He seems… a bit off."

"As in?" I persisted, still wondering his perspective on that matter. _Not to sound rude, but this doesn't seem to be a good time to pour in your issues, old man._

"Ever since he decided to make you Negi's partner, he's been more aggressive in the topic of Negi rather than his other work. I never seen him so obsessed with treating Negi like a grandchild…" He narrowed his gaze at the concrete in front of him, his hands now conjoining and supporting his chin, while his elbows rested on his knees.

"What does that have to do with me–"

"It's not only that." He already cut loose my own question. "There are times where I would see an unknown girl walking out of the principal's office, but pardon me if this was a hallucination, I have only seen such a sight just twice. That girl, I believed, might be a key as to what might change the principal's attitude. If anything for the worst…"

"…she's 'using' him?" I finished his sentence, realizing my newfound focus in this matter.

He nodded.

* * *

Author's Notes (2/6/11): Phew, how's it all going, folks? It's been a long and busy-filled school year, but only a half of it remains! ;O I'm sorry if this might not be the approach you're looking for, to many of those that are looking forward to a romantically engrossed fluff, but now's the time to get things rattled up and plot progressive shall be my key…! If there are stories that can be finished in 8 chapters, and still pack a bigger punch than mines, then I shall challenge that and fight it back with quantities of quality-filled chapter; I shall double the power play! Anyways, enough of my meddlesome nonsense, and hello to what's goin on right now: the principal is the next to be suspected? Woah woah, just who is that 'girl' ;ooo lol… I suck at making an enthusiastic grabbers x.x;; -coughcough- Argh, just found out that I got sick on Wednesday, and not doing too well with the pills either. A cold, I would say, would be my problem, but it's not cool that Spring allergies have to accompany it too D; g-gah…. Mmeh… (off topic but my foot is numbed and I can't stop laughin because of it). Now, as I might've said all those freakin months ago… R&R folks!

Me: Great job, everyone~!

Kana (Setsuna's actor): I hate being the protagonist… ~.~;;

Kyochi (Negi's actor): Should I convince the author, big sis?

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Nah, you don't have to do that. She'll probably make us do something horrible if we even request something like that.

Me: Don't ignore me! DD;

Tsuke (Random Demon's actor): Then I won't ignore you, my dear stupid author. How dare **you **ignore my acting potential and stick to the half demon gal!

Me: Because you're a minor character o.0 Be appreciative that I got your brother in as Takamichi.

Tsuke (Random Demon's actor): B-But that doesn't change anything! ;O

Me: No one cares, to be honest ^^;;

Kyochi (Negi's actor): U-Um… it'll be nice if you have Tsuke join us later on…

Me: Oh shut up boya! -sudden pause- Well, speaking of boya, where's 'Evangeline'?

Izumi (Eva's actor): Good evening, author ^w^

Me: Holy crap, I didn't expect you to be this obedient! O.0;; Gosh, you just can't judge a book by its cover, eh? I would at least say that you're one of the best actors I got on the set ;ooo

Izumi (Eva's actor): It's my job, author. I take care and pride in my work, author ^w^

Me: M-Maybe if you decide to call me master i-instead… -feels anticipated-

Izumi (Eva's actor): Sure thing, master. ^w^

Me: C-Cute =^o^=! You make me feel like a perverted old man when I'm not even a male myself! Hahaha xDD

Kana (Setsuna's actor): That's not something a girl should say… o.0;;

Tsuke (Random Demon's actor): -sobs in the corner-

-world blows up-


	24. The Unexpected

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima. If I did, I would've traveled all the way to Japan just to see my lovely Negima fans ^^

* * *

Replies (to anonymous users):

(space) – _"oh okey when you have the chance please update im hooked on your story and i want to know what happens next"_ My deepest apologies for making you wait for so long. To tell the truth, I'm more of an artist than a writer. And so far, summer has been spent on art than writing. I'll try to see if I can draw something for this fic… –try doing that'll respect loyal fans like you. Thank you for your earnest review.

my hero – _"cool well i love this story its the most interesting negima story iv read good luck in school update soon"_ Thank you for your compliment. This story didn't started out with the type of style that I developed up to now, but it's a rewarding experience to know that I actually **improve** instead of idly annoying people with half-hearted writing. Again, I thank you for your review. Please enjoy this chapter if you are still interested in reading this fan fiction.

cheeramy – _"i love this story! i am a HUGE fan of setsuna and i hope to see a LOT more! especially negi and setsuna kissing! hehe!"_ Glad to see an enthusiastic reviewer here. Hope this chapter won't dissatisfy you. I'll just give you a hint: it's a mysterious turn of events. Again, hope you're still interested, and hope to see your next enthusiastic review!

boona – _"funny awesome and when will negi be back god this is an amazing story so update soon" "have you given up on this fic cause that sad its really good so please update" "have you givin up on this fic its amazing please update soon" _When will Negi be back? Best non-spoiler response: Read! Although I'll give you a good heads up: Negi's point of view is in the next chapter. Sorry for the delay… been drawing a whole lot more than writing…

SHONENJUMPBOY – _"Great chapter! Glad to see your alive!...lol, Keep up the good work. Setsuna: For a ten year old, you are a very mature kid Negi:...*grins shojo style* Oooh. Setsuna: Don't ruin the moment. Me: *lifts newspaper down and thumbs up* THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED!"_ Hehe, funny omake right there ^^ And sorry for the long delay. If you haven't read my replies to the other anonymous reviewers, I said that I draw more than I write. I might consider drawing a scene from this fic if I have some time… But until then, hope this chapter will revive your interest in this fanfic~

kedima – _"well..is this story discontinued? after all,negix setsuna is one of my favotite pairing/"_ Nope. Just on hiatus at times.

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Me: Heh… I expected this.

Kana (Setsuna's actor): What? The fact that your reviews have decreased?

Me: -nods- This happened to my second fic too when I delayed their chapter for a year…

Kana (Setsuna's actor): That's because you delayed the CF chapter for so many months that I could even hear some fans cry while you were down and asleep -_-

Me: Wait… how do you know that the fans were there? Even I didn't hear any in my sleep! O.0

Kana (Setsuna's actor): -points at the door- There were several sobs and whatnot I heard from there. You should check out the pool of tears.

Me: O_O;; C-Crap…! Um-um-um! Get into your places everyone!

Kana (Setsuna's actor): Hmph… you're just changing the subject…

Me: And ACTION!

Kana (Setsuna's actor): -sighs-

-world lights up-

* * *

There wasn't much I learned through these past couple of months without Negi. I mean, there were contributing factors, but none or near-to-none had proven its quality to be acknowledged. And to be blunt, there was (yet again) no demon attacks, no sign of the new 'ally', nor did I receive any contact from the principal or Negi. In other words, nothing really happened.

Was I happy? Was I sad? Obviously, parting from the one that's been the closest to you is a saddening sight. I remembered that night of the sudden department that I was at the verge of breaking into tears. Now that I think about it, did I break into tears at all in these months? My memory's fuzzing up again…

On the other hand, it's not like I won't see him again. Same goes to Mana, whom had been in and out from time to time. She would usually be the one to tell me whether there are demons or not, and from her progress, that result is zero. Time to time, we would go to the café and talk about aimlessly anything to get my mind off of Negi, from weapons to international traveling, economy to politics, or even about the difference in cultures of varying countries.

But in the end, I still remained attached to him. Day after day, I sometimes took moments to convey myself, and even… I.. I-I don't know…

Maybe it's because of how he suddenly disappeared from my life that I… I can't –no I won't– even describe it. I don't want to admit it. Not now. Not when he's not here with me.

As I remain dominated by my internal monologues, I was still in the same state that I was in earlier. The roof is still my destination, the sky fills the air with its spring season joy, and the person that just came in sat besides me. To contribute to that thought, he had just given me some information that may be proven to be valuable. For all I care, the principal might be involved in a scam. And while we're at it, why not throw in the possibility that the 'ally' might be this old man right here –a teacher?

"Hey," I spoke, my attention-needing tone aimed at the 'man' that I was referring to earlier, his eyes affixed upon my voice. Takamichi was holding a cigarette box in his right hand, the other occupied with a lighter, in which he was about to light up a cigarette in his mouth. The right thumb indicated that he applied some pressure on the cigarette box (a cigarette popped up one cue, and out of the box), as the same pressure goes to the same cigarette that had popped out, which is now carefully balanced between his teeth. In all due respects, I do not approve this sight. And so, I frowned. "I appreciate that you gave me this information, but is it alright if I ask you to not smoke in my presence?"

He first held a surprised expression, almost astonished to hear me say such a question, then it softened into one that silently begged my forgiveness. I swore that if he wasn't my teacher right now, I'd wipe that apologetic expression off his face. Perhaps my hatred of smoke had prevailed its tracks yet again, or maybe it's just the fact that I hated its smell ever since ojou-sama's father started smoking in front of me…

_Wait…, why am I fussing over cigarettes for? Did this… time-of-month came without my approval?_

As I staged the inward rants of whether or not I should be bothered by little things like this, I didn't notice the spider that somehow landed in front of me. Its legs are coated in black, each leg shaped like a cone, yet the one thing that I fear in spiders would be the body. It indicates that it's still alive. Its black body twitched in response to my indifference.

That is, until I noticed it.

The realization overwhelmed me to the point where my fear of spiders had taken over my brain, my eyes widening in response, along with the blood rushing in my head. If I could describe my movements, I would say that I jolted away from that thing, and ducked into who-knows-what. Oh how I regretted the yelp I released when I clung onto a randomly chosen object…

Apparently, the moment that I was struck by my unwilling bound of fear was the moment that a twin tail girl made her striking appearance. The bells –which are seemingly attached to her hair bands– rung as they swung against her ponytails, and her green sneakers somehow managed to land on the spider that startled me. It was then that I noticed how my personal belongings, such as my yunagi and book, had shook in the vibration it took from the impact of her surprising enthusiasm. I was debating whether or not to tend to my belongings before she uttered _his _name.

"Takamichi-sensei!" She cried out, her happy tone defining her mood and expression, not to mention her actions that she just executed. It seems that she did not take notice of the spider she killed, despite the spider's legs that were still hung loose on the edges of her right sneaker. A chill engraved in my spine when she approached me, as if she could step on me next…–or maybe that's because I'm in a sitting position while she's not.

"Takamichi-sensei, I–" And the rest of her sentence was cut off by the startling expression she just made. Her eyes widened, mouth agape, and her body was almost frozen to the core. You'd think that my appearance with Takamichi was a surprising one (just standing, side to side, acting like we're teacher and student)? I'd say, rather, that that was not the case in this current situation. Her facial shock had helped identify, and made this evident that my 'randomly chosen object' that I was clinging onto earlier was what motivated her to be this stricken up, a chill arising in my spine upon realization.

"Uh-h… i-it's not what you think it is…" The source of **this voice** welled up besides me, as I noticed that my hands were gripping on the edges of **this person's** coat. In addition, I found that my head was resting on the banks of **this person's** shoulders. In fact, it's all done unintentionally, and a mere coincidence that **this person** was the person that I was clinging onto. Heck, what else should I describe now?

In my hands, upon the tips of my fingers…

was Takamichi's coat.

_So I'm clinging onto him… huh…_

_ Wait a minute…_

_ WHAT?_

My lack of response to this situation was what caused the alarming expression of the ponytail girl, not to mention the sentence that Takamichi just uttered out. It was that that finally sunk into my mind, ridding everything's attention away as I was focused on getting out of this sickening position. No thanks, old man, but my tastes aren't lying with you these days. Especially since I already have a partner. And with the knowledge that this girl has a crush on him…

Darting away, I accidentally used too much strength to push myself from Takamichi, which resulted in him getting pushed to the ground with a thud. Accompanying my actions was a distressed expression, frowning at the fact that it was the worst timing, the worst positioning, and the worst witness to even be seen with. In the midst of my actions, I again had yelped in disgust, a gut-killing feeling welling up in my chest –this time directing at Takamichi rather than the spider. By then, any other thoughts about him were now narrowing into him and his 'obviously-attracted-to-him-since-he-first-showed-up' girl, and how all this misunderstanding could be resolved. I really hope she'll understand when she'll listen, but what can I do? It's not like I can undo everything…

"E-Err…" I uttered as I look back at the girl, an unpleased expression forming on my face in response. But instead, she was nowhere to be found. I looked to and fro the area that I last saw her. Gone, trace and all… as if she was never here in the first place. With that, I felt… blank. As if all my worries were both warped away, and destroyed …temporarily. But at the same time, I felt worst, a gut-killing feeling dominating my mind. It's not my fault… but at the same time, it is.

_Ack, what a bothersome situation…_

"Ah… sorry." Was what this old man could utter. He was scratching his head sheepishly, and was forming an apologetic smile to accompany his apology. I frowned at his innocent outlook, as if he was just trying too hard. "I… I'll do something about her. Don't fret about it."

"You better be right on your word, then." I responded, the messy image of our previous position reinforcing the anger that was welling up in my mind. No one… no one besides Negi can do that…

_**You admit it.**_

_Shut up._

Grounding my teeth, as to suppress the feelings that were ready to sip right out of my mouth, I focused on gathering my things. I already had enough of this place.

My yunagi and other belongings were carefully strapped onto my back, a type of luggage that is more typical than unusual.

"Farewell, Takamichi." I said as I head towards the door, before turning to him at the last minute. "And… I'll keep an eye on the principal."

* * *

"Setsuna, what brings you here?" The humble tone of the man in front of me sounded, as my brow furrowed in response. I grounded my teeth as well, and glared at him with a sense of suspicion. He noted the change in my expression, and his face saddened in turn. "Why… what's wrong?"

"I overheard information in regards to your obsession over Negi. Tell me, is this some sort of joke?" I asked him, his white and overgrown hair shook just as I said 'obsession'; his body jolted.

_If I can't solve a problem then, it'll be solved now. And through an interrogation. I don't want to waste my weekend with thinking about the principal._

"I, uh…" The principal muttered, his voice trapped in thought of what to say next. It was made evident when he stared at the wall, then to the ground, then back to the wall again, –as much as it was to avoid my eye contact– that he was hiding something. _It has to come out now. I'm definitely not waiting._

He uttered a sigh so dismissive it almost looked like he gave up on something.

"I never… really wanted to do this so soon…" His voice changed. Almost… menacing. I shivered when he stood up, not even guided by the cane that was leaning against his desk. But I needed answers. I need them now.

"Forget about the obsession. When **is **Negi coming back? You send him out on a training session that's been going on for _months_. And why wasn't I even informed of it? Why did you only let Evangeline know about it? Why give us surprises?" I threw more than what I could think he could chew, as he stood there in indifference, his mouth closed. He was probably thinking… wasn't he? Or need I repeat myself? The thought of just that made me angrier.

Silence brewed up in the atmosphere. Obscured by facial hair, I was unable to tell what type of expression the principal was making, especially since his brows weren't even budging. I was getting more and more impatience through each passing second, unable to tell when he'll actually respond. The more I waited, the more anger welled up inside of me. Months worth of anger were now seeping in through my brain…

"My apologies." He said. Nothing else, nothing more. Such a blunt reply was given no time for me to respond, as the unexpected had occurred. In fact, I didn't even realize he responded until seconds later, the whole impact of the whole situation… numbing my brain.

Before I knew it, the presence of someone so strong… so… overwhelmingly contained with magic… appeared behind me. My reflexes kicked in, enabling me to brandish my yunagi with a sense of self-defense, blocking any incoming attacks. But he was just too fast, so fast I couldn't even capture the presence, or his image, inside of my mind. The only thing I could grasp is the fact that he had white hair, and eyes of a doll. And between the intervals of my movements, they were halted when I felt myself slamming against the wall, a hand pressed on my forehead. Adrenaline protected me from feeling pain, if even for a moment, as I struggle to regain control of the situation, and know my enemies. It is imperative that the principal was now an enemy… along with whoever else that is in the room with him –mainly the person that I'm struggling to get off of. Wherever my yunagi is at, it's now out of my hands. _Crap._

"Bastard!" I called out as I gripped the wrist of the arm that was pressing against my forehead with both hands, still trying to break out of this position. I could catch a glimpse of his face, though my focus was more on self-defense than picture. However, I now identify this man as a youngling –an age an equivalent to Negi's–, yet with tamed white hair and skin so pale…

"You should be grateful that we're sparing you." His doll-like eyes and emotionless expression became bigger as he leaned in, his breath inevitably touching the palette of my cheeks. Shivers of anger and fear outputted through my body, my earlier stages of struggle almost… dimming down. I still kept myself strong with a piercing glare, being that it was the only thing I could cling onto that dominated his doll-like expression. I didn't know who he was, what he came here for, or what his purpose is. And I don't think I can get answers now.

_Where's the principal, anyways?_

Going up to his side is a blonde girl with curly hair and innocent eyes. Her attire was no more different than a classy white dress. She seemed worried.

"Fate-san…" she said, probably towards the person that was still in control of me. I could feel my muscles slipping away, as my struggle was getting more and more aimlessly meaningless. It was then that I realized that he was probably performing something on me… a magic spell, perhaps? Probably something strong enough to knock my chi system out, as I couldn't enable my own chi techniques at this moment. _Urgh…_

"You disappoint me." The doll-like boy in front of me said monotonously, his face now receding back, as his eyes were in the direction of the girl. I was a little thankful that he didn't go as far as intimacy can go. "I told you to stay true to your character. You failed your task, and now we have to execute the plan earlier than expected."

"I… I'm sorry, Fate-san. I-I didn't know she would realize it so quickly…" She stuttered back, a saddening expression forming on her face. "It's one thing to transform into family, but it's a different thing to transform into a stranger."

My mind silently clicked.

_Was she… –no… wait, that's not right. If she can 'transform'… then… ack, why have I not realized this sooner? She transformed into the principal!_

"Don't give our medium any ideas." He responded back to the blonde girl. "You are relieved of your duty. It'll only be a matter of time before they notice us. Until then, you are of no use here."

"Yes, Fate-san." And with those words, she departed –or at least, disappeared from my line of vision. I was still struggling, but to no avail was my strength working. I was eventually giving up, my glare no longer holding its flare that it once had.

"As for you…" He then turned to me, as his eyes were peering into my soul, now etching closer and closer to my face. "You have no idea how important you are in this mission. I suggest you relax and let us handle everything."

"As if…!" I retorted back, but was still undergoing the loss of strength and anger. In this case, it sounded not as intimidating as I expected it to be.

"You are restrained, yes. It is only to make sure you won't get away from me." He stated plainly.

"Bastard…" I repeated the insulting word to him, gritting my teeth in how helpless I was to him. But I was indeed losing strength, and by now, I was at the brink of losing my consciousness. This transition was almost unexpected, but at the same time, to be expected as well.

The strength fully slipping away from me, I could feel my eyes slowly closing, as if transitioning into a coma…

There was only the icy touch against my lips, and beyond that…

Darkness.

* * *

Author's Notes (11/11/11): So in hopes of entertaining fans again, I finally threw in my trump card, and branched out a more mysterious plot. Hope it wasn't too abrupt… but then again, it's suppost to. Anyways, my big and heartful apology for delays again. I actually got this chapter started up real well and… couldn't think of what else to use. I really wanted to not use my trump card so soon but… guess it has to be used sooner or later. And here it is, on a day that only happens once in a century, I couldn't help but use 11/11 as my target date. Just got this chapter done this morning, and made my wish on 11:11. Did you guys also made your wishes? R&R!~


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